MANILA, Feb. 8, 2016– The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines lauded an initiative by a group of lay faithful from various Christian churches who joined hands “to do God’s work” in the political field.
Archbishop Socrates Villegas, CBCP President, said the Pilipino Movement for for Transformational Leadership (PMTL) is a “significant gift of the Spirit” to the Catholic laity.
“May this work of God for the conversion, transformation and renewal of politics in the Philippines be blessed a hundredfold,” Villegas said in a statement. (READ: Commendation and praise)
One goal of the PMTL, composed of Catholic and Evangelical communities, is to campaign for “incorruptible” local and national leaders for the May 2016 elections.
Through a “people’s primary,” the movement will endorse candidates for President, Vice President and senatorial positions, based on its agreed criteria and reform agenda known as “Gabay Kristo (Christ Guide).”
But since Catholic leaders don’t endorse candidates, Villegas encouraged other bishops to instead organize on the diocesan level, lay leaders who can help bring the vision for a “Christ-oriented political engagement.”
As decided during the recent CBCP plenary assembly in Cebu City, the bishops also agreed to encourage the diocesan councils of the laity to support the PMTL.
The bishops have been calling for more active lay participation in principled partisan politics.
They said that the laity has the duty to campaign for candidates they believe to be honest and competent in order to reform the country. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)
