PHILIPPINE NEWS SERVICE — SPEAKER Prospero C. Nograles yesterday lamented that while other nations are scrambling to protect themselves from the financial crisis that has sent stock markets crashing around the world, some sectors can still find time to sow the seed of political instability.
Nograles made this statement as he urged the leaders of the Roman Catholic church to inspire Filipinos to bind themselves in helping the government to quell the financial firestorm that has caused Philippine stocks to tumble last Monday instead of calling for the establishment of a “new government.”
“This is the worst of times to be making such political statements especially coming from the leaders of the Church. The global financial threat is already sending some nations into a near state of recession and the Philippines can become even more vulnerable because of relentless political bickering,” Nograles said adding that as a devout Catholic, “we have been taught that it is a sin to make rash judgments about the morality of others.”
“The writings are on the wall as we have seen when we suffered a bloodbath in the stock market last Monday. Despite our strong economic fundamentals, our country remains very vulnerable from the adverse effects of the global financial contagion,” he said.
According to Nograles, while he respects the opinion of the leaders of the Church, he is hoping that they would call for the people to unite in prayer so that the country can survive the global financial crisis as he noted concerns by some business leaders and economic experts that it is almost inevitable that Filipinos will feel the pinch of the economic firestorm.
Instead of calling for the establishment of a new government, the best thing to do for the country’s spiritual and religious leaders is to inspire the government to work harder providing the needed social parachutes for the poor, he said.
“You do not change the captain of the ship in the middle of the storm. That will spell disaster,” he said.
Nograles also pointed out that the presidential election is just a little more than a year away and the best way to establish the so-called “new government” is through an election.
“Election is just around the corner so I don’t see the logic why some of our Church leaders are making such statements. They can even campaign in 2010 for their favored Presidential candidate,” he said.
He added that it is mere speculation for some Church leaders to claim that charter change is being pushed in Congress to extend the term of President Arroyo as he pointed out that there is not a single document or pending bill in the House that seeks to extend the term of the president.”