To the Nationalist Christian Filipino

by: Manuel "Manny" Rodriguez II

No administration can thrive without you full support and cooperation. No matter how courageously our next President exercise political will, he will never make a meaningful change and reform without the active participation of the people, especially people like you; a nationalist and God-fearing citizen of the Republic.
A prolific Filipino writer in the field of Public Administration Dr. Jose Leveriza puts it this way:


“The reality of the situation shows that the authority of a public administrator can no longer be exercised purely by the strength of the law vested upon himself, but it requires the acceptance and support of those being governed. A government official cannot fulfill his responsibilities without winning the loyalty and support not only of his own organization, but also of his external environment.”


This nation seeks the cooperation of its citizens, the likes of you is the least expected to just abandon the call of our motherland.

We, who hold this passion for love of our Nation, must accept the challenge. We must embrace the opportunities available here on our motherland, to be at the head of new enterprises. We must lead the generation as we enter the new dawn our Nation will soon face.

I pray that morally upright men and women will get elected in the coming election. I also have faith that you with the grace of our God will be the most enlightened and trustworthy in practicing the duties of a Filipino citizen, considering the training in the Christian perspective that you possess.

The age of computer science has arrived; it is already an established fact of our daily life. The ability to operate a computer will soon be the measure of literacy. No field in the physical science is further than the reach of today’s high technology. These developments we have will radically change and alter the lifestyle of the Filipino people which includes their social values.

The concepts of ethnic loyalties, religion, nationalism and the solidarity of the family will be challenged and perhaps modified. These are the issues and concerned citizens like us must address. These are the issues that will test not just our convictions but more of our faith. We will soon find ourselves making very difficult choices and decisions.

If you despair hearing these realities, then I have faith on your spiritual moorings. I am counting on you to provide the leadership for the generation that is to come. To Christian educational institutions whether Protestant or Catholic, I call upon you to build up your value-immersion subject even as they revise and modernize the assorted curricula in the physical sciences.

Our fellow Filipinos, although great believers of democracy, are not great believers in its tedious process. They are impatient for quick results, quick progress and quick change. Our democratic institution often fails us, sometimes we tend to think to change the entire institution but the real problem is the anchor of our institution not the institution itself.

We must keep in mind that the enduring and lasting institutions of the human race are those that have been anchored on moral values and on an unshakable faith.

To the Christian Filipino, let us take with us the challenge. Let us serve something greater than ourselves, let us think of our beloved Philippines, let us think of this world and exert every effort to change it for the better and spell the differences in our short lifetime.
SO HELP US GOD.

Youth’s Stand Against Destructive Mining

The Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 7942) was enacted particularly to encourage large-scale Mining by local and foreign corporations, However, the law went beyond encouraging the revitalization of the mining industry in the Philippines; it has disregarded the integrity of our National Patrimony for the sake of attracting foreign investment. The law allows the widespread plunder and exploitation of our natural resources. It allows foreign mining operations by foreign mining corporations, it allows 100% of their profits, and it grants tax holidays and exemptions to mining firms.


Mining is Inherently Unsustainable

We do not believe in the myth of “sustainable mining.” Mining is inherently unsustainable since it requires the depletion of non-renewable natural resources. Instead of requiring ever-growing amounts of mineral and fuels, a sustainable economy will use materials much more efficiently, reducing waste to a bare minimum, and rely more on recycling, reuse and renewable energy technology. Sustainability means less mining, not more.

Mining should not be considered as the only industry that will propel our country towards development. Unrestricted mining activities will destroy other industries, like agriculture and fishing.

“Aanhin pa ang kayamanan kung sira na ang kalikasan.”

The serious environmental destruction caused by large-scale mining outweighs any economic benefit that may be derived from it. Mining is among the greatest threats to biological diversity worldwide. Mining creates extraordinary amounts of waste; much of it contaminated. And often creates environmental problems, such as water pollution, that can endure for centuries. Mining often yield little, if any, long-term net benefits for host communities and countries, as is becoming increasingly evident, the long-term cleanup costs of many mines may well exceed what the host countries gain while the mines are open.


Mining encroaches on Indigenous Peoples’ Lands

Mining has disproportionately great impacts on indigenous peoples and poor, rural communities, whose lands are often forcibly seized for mining with little or no competition, and enjoy few of the benefits of mineral extraction. Indigenous people and their communities have a historical relationship with their lands and are generally descendants of the original inhabitants of such lands. They have developed over many generations a holistic traditional scientific knowledge of their lands, natural resources and environment. Any development initiative should be implemented recognizing their values, traditional knowledge and resource management practices with a view to promote environmentally sound and sustainable development, and recognizing their traditional and direct dependence on renewable resources and ecosystems.


To Our Fellow Youth

It is important that we, the youth, actively participate in all relevant levels of decision-making processes of our nation, particularly with regard to the environment, because it affects our lives today and has implication for our futures.

It is our solemn duty to preserve and safeguard our environment and natural resources if we want to ensure that our generations to come shall enjoy the blessings of a healthy, balance, and diverse ecology. Nature needs our help; it does not stand a chance against man’s rapacity and insatiable greed.


To Our Elders

To our elders: “Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, it is lent to you by your children.” In turn, we pledge to ensure that our future children and generations to come will enjoy the blessings of a healthy environment.


To the Government

We demand that the Government stop its liberal policy on mining. We challenge the Government to instead revitalize the agriculture and fishing industries, two industries that are full of potentials but greatly neglected.

We call on Congress to immediately repeal the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, the law responsible for all these destructions. We will not allow the further destruction of our environment.


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A statement of the proponents of Kontra Mina

Kontra Mina is an advocacy of Batas Tomasino: the UST law society in cooperation with Thomasian Writer’s Guild, College of Commerce Economics Society, Earth-UST and Alyansa Tigil Mina.

(http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=batas+tomasino&init=quick#!/note.php?note_id=291845199471)