It is a political problem!This is what many say about our present pitiful Philippine situation.
And they are right. Long since, the way we practice Philippine politics is sick and sickening. We elect into public offices people who are popular, people who buy our votes, people who compromise the most.
It is an economic problem!
This is what others say about the misery afflicting the Filipinos, the poor in particular.
And they are right, too. There is less employment, less business, less investments. There is less money and these buy even lesser. The present is saddening. The future is frightening.
It is a moral problem!
This is what some others say -- myself included. Gross immorality in the highest office in the land is the fundamental and causal premise of our present national crisis.
Our political dilemma and our economic misery -- plus our boiling social condition -- are predicated on immorality in public office. It is bad enough for lowly public officials to be immoral. Heaven help us when this immorality particularly in its gross proportion is squarely appended to and openly admitted by the highest executive in the country.
In conclusion, let me just say the following:
Thou shall not commit adultery. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's goods. These are not political commandments. They remain moral imperatives even if a chief politician makes a mockery of them. Even the presidential office holder is not above God!And one last word about repentance. When an adulterer repents, eh must severe all his adulterous relationship. Otherwise, there is not repentance but pretense. When one with unexplained wealth repents, he must return all his ill-gotten wealth. Otherwise, there is no repentance but deception. And there is neither forgiveness before God. This is the elementary moral norm.Immorality is costly. And the bigger immorality is, the costlier it becomes. No wonder we have the spectacle of the President on trial for bribery, graft and corruption among other high crimes.
Immorality is a social cancer. Social health demands its banishment. This is the moral response to our present Philippine situation.
+ O.V. Cruz, DD
28 December 2000
A speech delivered by Msgr. Oscar V. Cruz, DD during the "Pangasinan Forum on the Philippine Crisis"
28 December 2000
DWAD Gym, Rizal Ext., Dagupan City