Prayer for Indigenous and Stateless People
Almighty God and Father, Creator of all things beautiful, look down on the indigenous peoples and cultural communities of this earth. For those who are stateless, because they live in areas which are rightfully theirs but have been taken over by aggressors and oppressors, have pity upon them and grant them your protection.
Remove the evil of greed that eats up our humanity. Take away from us the evil within us and around us. Look at those to whom you have given the treasures of the earth to guard and to use when they have need of it and have mercy on them.
Save the minority Christians in the Middle East, those who are being sold as slaves, and genuine migrants seeking a new way of life without persecution, without hunger, and without racial discrimination.
Give us all the gifts of compassion, and courage, especially for those who lead us in our Christian faith. Give them the strength so we can see You in them.
May all things become beautiful again as you have made them and which we have undone.
This we ask through Christ Your Son who we know never fails to hear the cry of the poor.
Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha
Lily of the Mohawks and Daughter of the Algonquins, You have been chosen by the Church as the first Saint amongst countless native Americans. Pray for the indigenous peoples, the orphans, the abducted, and those who have contracted new disease as you yourself felt the burden that they carry.
Pray for them and for us, so we may care for all God’s gift and God’s children. This we ask through the intercession of Mary Our Mother, whose virtues you imitated and suffered for.
Amen.
Dr. Araneta and the 1987 Constitution
While studying the 1987 Constitution for this chapter, I found that some of the ideas and provisions of the Bayanikasan Constitution are already in place. They are to be found in Articles XII and XIII.
Article XII deals with National Economy and Patrimony while Article XIII is on Social Justice and Human Rights. All these are discussed in detail under the Bayanikasan Constitution.
The two articles give us a clearer picture on how we can achieve the goals set up in our Preamble. Allow me to introduce in this chapter where the ideas of Dr. Araneta come to life once more, written down and mandated into the Constitution that so far is still in effect.
Dr. Araneta’s Bayanikasan Constitution is no longer just a draft for a Constitution but has become part of our current Constitution.
Dr. Araneta sought the democratization of wealth, of power and capitalism for all.
We look next at Article II Section 26 which provides that “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
It is true that the accompanying law has not been acted on by our legislators. To correct the problem of lack of political will, we should elect legislators who we believe are capable of self-sacrifice and they should run on a platform that promises the end of political dynasties.
Section 1 of Article XII of the 1987 Constitution states that “The goals of the national economy are a more equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth, a sustained increase in the amount of goods and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people, and an expanding productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially the underprivileged.”
The need for full employment is discussed under the Bayanikasan Constitution. See Bayanikasan Constitution Article 65 which reads: “Work, either physical or mental, is both a duty and an honor. Within a period of six years, the State shall have implemented socio-economic policies to provide employment opportunities for all mentally and physically abled people, to include creative work, giving proper balance to the mental, intellectual, and the spiritual. This provision is justiciable against the State except Metro Manila, for in its case, the collective leadership would be made accountable.” (To be continued/PN)
