EJ QUA HIANSEN l January 25, 2024 l Manila Bulletin
Caritas Manila, the lead social service and development ministry of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, is celebrating 70 years of service to the poor and marginalized. They have done amazing things due to their ability to bring people together to alleviate poverty, including mobilizing volunteers who contribute their time and talent as well as partnering with businesses. Caritas Manila has programs for youth and education, livelihood, restorative justice, health, and servant leadership among others.
Last week, I was honored to watch five volunteers be recognized for their long and distinguished service to the church. Along with Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Manuel Pangilinan, Maria Gonzalez Goolsby, and Arnulfo Veridico, my boss, Ramon del Rosario Jr. , was conferred the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, one of the highest honors that the Pope can bestow upon the laity and the religious.
Listening to the speeches of the awardees, what struck me the most was their respective abilities to rally others to join in their causes, proving that a collective can do so much more than a group of individuals. This is necessary due to the magnitude we are dealing with, as the Philippine poverty rate was at 22.4% for the first half of 2023, while President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is targeting to bring this down to 9% before the end of his term. Solving this will take a whole of society approach with the Government, industry, academe, and individuals all doing their part.
The awardees showed us what we can do on a personal level, uniting for a common cause and indeed demonstrating that charity starts at home. In his acceptance speech, Mr. del Rosario quoted Pope Francis, who said, “Let us thank the Lord that so many men and women are devoted to caring for the poor and the excluded; they are persons of every age and social status who show understanding and readiness to assist the marginalized and those who suffer. They are not superheroes but “next-door neighbors,” ordinary people who quietly make themselves poor among the poor. They do more than give alms; they listen, engage, and try to understand and deal with difficult situations and their causes.” We can each make a difference in our way as next-door neighbors and by involving our neighbors.
In the case of Mr. del Rosario, Mr. Zobel, and Mr. Pangilinan, I witnessed how they can get the business community to work as one in their efforts for a better Philippines through the organizations that they are affiliated with. I believe that people are inherently good and will rush to support when tangible ideas can make a noticeable difference. We witness this during the worst times, such as donation drives after natural calamities or the community pantries that were prevalent during the pandemic. In these examples, ordinary people can inspire others for the greater good. Witnessing the conferment of the award inspired me to want to make the lives of others better through service. Let us all be inspired to answer that call.
*** EJ Qua Hiansen is the Chairman of the Junior FINEX Committee of the FINEX Research & Development Foundation. All views expressed are his own.
The views expressed herein are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FINEX.