Pondo ng Pinoy P0.25 for the poor (63% poverty rate)

Pondo ng Pinoy:
P0.25 for the poor
Posted: 6:15 AM (Manila Time) Jun. 20, 2004
By Blanche S. Rivera and Peachy E. Yamsuan
Inquirer News Service
http://www.inq7.net/nat/2004/jun/20/nat_12-2.htm

63-percent poverty rate

Rosales said the Pondo ng Pinoy would revolutionize the way Filipinos viewed development, and encourage the poor to be donors and not just beneficiaries.

A study by the Institute of Church and Social Issues pegged the poor and very poor at 52 percent of the population in Metro Manila. The poverty rate nationwide is even worse at 63 percent.

Earlier, Caritas Manila director Father Anton Pascual said the foundation would give priority to livelihood initiatives by NGOs because this was the biggest problem of urban dwellers. But he said housing, family welfare and restorative justice would also be supported.

The foundation will initially focus its support on the archdiocese of Manila, and the dioceses of Antipolo, Cubao, Caloocan, Parañaque, Novaliches, Pasig, Taytay, Imus, Malolos, Puerto Princesa, San Pablo, and the military ordinariate.

There are 86 dioceses and archdioceses nationwide.

"The country needs people who seek what is truly good for its citizens without being blinded by narrow selfish ambitions," Rosales told the gathering. "We call these people statesmen. And when we say that we need people with that selfless perspective... we mean you, and not the politicians."

P12-M inspiration

The Pondo ng Pinoy was inspired by the Pondo Batangan, which Rosales put up in Lipa City, Batangas province, during his term as archbishop there. Pascual said the project collected P12 million in three years.

Rosales was installed archbishop of Manila in November 2003, replacing the retired Jaime Cardinal Sin who headed the archdiocese for 29 years.

Even before he officially assumed office, Rosales had stressed the need for a community to work toward a vision. He had said a leader without a vision was guilty of treason.

The Pondo ng Pinoy is his first project in Manila.

It will be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and will be governed by a board composed of eight bishops, four lay people and three priests.

Rosales pointed out that the Pondo ng Pinoy was not a mere fund-raising campaign similar to the corporate and political worlds' concept of development because it also involved liberating people from selfishness, viciousness and greed.

First and foremost, it is an evangelization tool and a development process, he said.

"The result is a developed person shaped by the values, principles and attitude of a Christian who will know how to handle resources. So why talk about billions and trillions when the person handling that is completely greedy, vicious?" Rosales said in a press conference on June 10.

The archbishop added: "Jesus started with people. He served to educate people, purify their intentions and clarify their values. This will change the perception of what a country ought to be."

'Kairos'

In an emotional moment at the closing of the pastoral assembly on June 12, Rosales repeatedly pounded his chest and said: "Pakiramdam ko, ito na."

This is the moment, he said, the kairos (in Greek, the opportune time, as opposed to chronos the chronological time).

"This is our kairos. We should not allow this moment to pass us by," he said.

According to Rosales, the final aim of the Pondo ng Pinoy is to bring to everyone "fullness of life."

He promised to go to all the dioceses, apostolic vicariates and sites of general pastoral assemblies, to explain the foundation.

"Tayo na, sakay na (Let's go, hop on)," he urged his audience.

It is clear that the archbishop will be the untiring voice and promoter of the Pondo ng Pinoy.