Sparks Vol. 49 No. 3

Vol 49. No. 3 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RURAL MISSIONARIES OF THE PHILIPPINES JULY-SEPTEMBER 2018 2 EDITORIAL July-September 2018 On this issue RIGHT TO FOOD, RIGHT TO LIFE Editorial hen we pray the Lord’s The Philippine Statistics Prayer, we begin with Authority (PSA) recently 2 Right to Food, Right to Life Wthe comprehensive, reported that the country’s the grand vision. We ask that inflation has hit 6.4% in August News God’s name be hallowed. which is the fastest in over nine 4 RMP joins first United People’s We immerse ourselves in the years since inflation came in at SONA commitment to God’s reign. But 6.6% in March 2009. From July then we proceed to ask about to August 2018, the steepest 5 Rural Missionaries decry continuing attacks on Lumad schools and our more earthbound requests— inflation occurred in vegetables communities the things that we need in order (4.9%) and rice (2.1%) which is to fulfil the will of God and work among what we daily consume. 6 RMP hits gov’t failure to protect farmers, fishers amid food for the coming of the kingdom. importation And so we ask God to give us our The most recent cause for daily bread, beginning with “this this may be the Tax Reform 7 RMP calls on DOJ to “see the light” re deportation order against Sr. day” but knowing that we will for Acceleration and Inclusion Patricia Fox also ask again tomorrow and the (TRAIN) law, and it is certainly next. accountable for the price increases no matter how Feature However, we ask not only the government denied its 8 Elusive PEACE…..Pursue It ! for “my” bread, but we ask effects, but the backward and for “our” bread. With that, we underdeveloped agricultural Mumulat ang lahat acknowledge that we are not sector of the country is the 9 alone in this world, and that we long-term reason for rising food 10 Camera at halo-halong emosyon are interdependent beings whose prices. personal welfare is intertwined 11 RMP in Solidarity with farmers of with that of all of our sisters Our local rice industry is in Lupang Ramos and brothers. All of us share the chronic crisis. Compared to same basic necessity, including our rice-producing neighbour Statement food, and it is a reality that many countries, our farmers produce Filipinos today are suffering from a lower average of 3 to 6 tons 12 Defend Ka Paeng! poverty and hunger. per hectare at a higher cost of P11 to P14 per kilo. And with Regions These past few weeks, the the NFA failing to procure its skyrocketing prices of basic mandate of at least 10% of total 13 RMP-PEPP holds Training and goods and commodities are all palay production, most produce Workshop on Peace module over the news. Along with that falls in the hands of profit-greedy are the cries of mothers and traders and rice cartels thereby 14 LUMAD CHILDREN FLEE BOMBING, HOLD CLASSES IN MANILA fathers in their struggle to make dictating the prevailing farm gate ends meet for their families. and palay retail prices. Their cries are concerning Literary enough, but in addition, we The government has always learn about the “bukbok”- resorted to band-aid solutions 15 #DISPLACEMENT infested imported rice and the such as rice importation which by Bro. Roquelm Vallejos Abcede importation of formalin-laden they said could bring the rice “poor man’s fish”, galunggong prices down. Despite this, 16 DI NA MULI and we are presented with the imports have failed to impact by Fr. Oliver Castor, C.Ss.R miserable state of our country’s significantly on supply and prices food security or in this case, the because rice importation—as lack thereof. well as rice smuggling—are monopolized by the same July-September 2018 3 traders, therefore putting the industry in deeper collective actions. crisis. Therefore, as we pray for “our” daily bread, we The rapid rise in food prices hits poor families the are reminded of the hardships that the others are worst. Based on studies by IBON Foundation, food presently facing. When we ask for our daily bread, takes up a greater portion (59.7%) of poor families’ we are challenged to become ever more conscious expenditure compared to higher income families. of the miserable conditions of others—especially the rural poor. When we ask for our daily bread, It is heart-breaking to know that our farmers, we ask not only for ourselves but for the millions fishers, agricultural workers and indigenous of Filipinos struggling to keep up with the rising people who are working hard to produce food for prices. But our prayer also implies a commitment the country are among the worst affected. Their to do what we can to eliminate poverty and hunger little to no income cannot keep up with the price in our country. It encourages us to be involved in increases which results to widespread poverty and the protests against prioritizing food importation hunger. instead of developing our agriculture so that we can rely on our own. It also drives us to advocate Our response to these realities is shaped by for pro-people economics and for socio-economic the truths of the Scripture and the principles of reforms such as genuine agrarian reform and Catholic social teaching. Because each person’s national industrialization. Lastly, it signifies our life is a sacred gift from God, and in light of our responsibility to take part in the struggle of our commitment to the right to life of every person, we rural poor brothers and sisters against poverty and believe all people also have basic rights to material hunger so that they may enjoy the fruits of their and spiritual support, including the right to food, labor and fullness of life. [S] which are required to sustain life and to live a truly human existence. This clear commitment must be reflected both in our individual choices and in our 4 NEWS July-September 2018 photo from Arkibong Bayan RMP joins first United People’s SONA he Rural Missionaries of the Philippines and commodities and the widespread poverty and (RMP) joined the first United People’s SONA hunger among marginalized sectors. Tlast July 23, 2018 which gathered broad and diverse groups of people to declare the real state of Rural sectors including farmers, fisher folk and the Nation. indigenous people decried the intensified military attacks and extrajudicial killings against the rural From the concelebrated mass in St. Peter’s Parish in poor. The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Commonwealth and converging areas in the University condemned the increasing number of peasant victims of the Philippines in Diliman, thousands of people of extra judicial killings since Duterte took office which marched along Commonwealth Avenue with an effigy has reached 142 as of June 2018. of President Duterte, colourful banners and placards and various costumes protesting the anti-people Indigenous people from Mindanao were also policies adopted and being pushed by the Duterte present at the activity and protested against the administration. Mindanao –wide Martial Law which has resulted to Lumad schools being threatened or being forcibly The United People’s SONA showcased the coming closed by soldiers, and thousands of Lumad displaced together of people united against martial law and from their communities. They also called for the pull- tyranny as well as the charter change and federalism out of military forces from their lands. that will pave the way for it. Church people were also at the forefront of the “It is great to see that so many people are clamoring protest. Various congregations and denominations against the tyranny and fascism of this regime. We must condemned the series of clergy killings and the really come together and raise our voices collectively intensifying persecution of church people. against the threats of dictatorship of Pres. Duterte,” . said Sr Elenita Belardo, RMP National Coordinator. Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang makabayan, one of the key organizers of the United People’s SONA The main program of the People’s SONA criticized declared the success of the activity and claimed that Duterte’s wars on drugs, on tambays (vagrants) and on “it was the biggest outpouring of SONA protest, so far,” progressive organizations and individuals. Participants and that it was “just the beginning.” also protested against the rising prices of basic goods July-September 2018 5 Rural missionaries decry continuing attacks on Lumad schools and communities ast August 8, 2018, the Rural Missionaries of teachers and parents and 111 cases of trumped-up the Philippines (RMP), a mission partner of charges and illegal arrest and detention. Lthe Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP) decried the continuing “Lumad schools and communities in Mindanao militarization of Lumad schools and communities in have long been victims of massive and systematic Mindanao. militarization and displacement to allow the plunder of their rich ancestral domains by large foreign and Citing cases documented by the Save our Schools local companies. In doing so, the Lumad’s right to their Network (SOS), the RMP said that about 72 Lumad ancestral lands, to self-determination and to live in an schools were either forcibly closed, displaced or was atmosphere of peace and freedom from violent attacks disrupted keeping more than 2,000 students out of have been completely disregarded,” Sr. Elen added. school as of today. The RMP also expressed their support to the “We condemn the intensifying militarization of Bakwit School spearheaded by the SOS to be hosted rural communties and the state-perpetrated attacks by different universities and churches in efforts to on Lumad schools,” said Sr.

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