Abuse of Power

I shared last time my experience of failing to connect here with a Filipino as I sought to deal with issues arising in a commitment I have here. This raised the theme of how issues are not dealt with and ended in my going away feeling frustrated. I raised how this highlights the way it does not work here.

Having shared that, I do stand by my overall experience and held view that Filipinos are lovely and friendly people who are resourceful and have great potential. So what happens?

The key may lie in today's headline news in the Philippines. The Filipino Church institution is up in arms because Noy Noy, the new President, suggests that he may help the poor to access family planning. The photo on the front page of the paper shows hurt priest and bishops. Who do they think they are? I see here the hypocrisy and the abuse of power by Church authorities. It is as if they are caught in some middle age power vacuum. Don't they see how the population is just escalating and the whole system is just keeping the poor poor?

Why don't they speak out on the much wider social issues that are affecting this country so negatively and keeping it in chaos and the people down?? Something does go wrong in these places. Somehow it just does not all gel together. The key may lie in power, where and how it is held and how it is abused. Maybe people just get used to being in control and using it at the expense of others.

Good on you Noy Noy!