Power and Responsibility: A Filipino Christian Perspective

Author(s): VITALIANO R. GOROSPE

Source: Philippine Studies, Vol. 36, No. 1 (First Quarter 1988), pp. 75-87
Published by: Ateneo de Manila University
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 Studies
Philippine 75-87
36(1988):

Power and Responsibility:

A Filipino Christian Perspective
VIT ALIAN O R. GOROSPE, S.J.

PhilippinePeople Power was bornwiththe 1986 PhilippineRevolution.1

The success of thenonviolentstruggleoftheFilipinopeople forfreedom
andjustice was due to manyfactors. First,althoughnoteverybodywas
at theEDS A revolutionduringthose fourdays of February,theFilipino
people as a whole gave popular supportto Cory Aquino and thusputan
end to thetwenty-year old Marcos dictatorship.Secondly,people power
behind the successful revolutionwas a human and Christianmodel of
solidarityinjustice and love. Thirdly,thesuccess of therevolutionwas
due in no small partto nonviolence. Finally, the power of this active
nonviolence was due to the remarkablesynthesisof the Christianfaith
and Filipino culture.
The main purpose of thisnote is, first,to investigatethe cultural and
moral aspects of people power in a Filipino context,both of which
involve responsibility,and secondly,to examine whattheChristianfaith
demands fromthe Philippine Church in its responsibilityto exercise
Churchpower in behalfofjustice and thepoor and powerless. The first
partof thisnote thenis thehuman and moral perspectiveof power in a
Filipino context. The second part will conclude with the Christian
theologicalperspectiveon power,especially Churchpower or thepower
of the people of God.

1. Fortheological seeThe"Miracle
revolution, " the
onthe1986Philippine
reflection of
Revolution:
Philippine ASymposium
Reflections,
Interdisciplinary organized School
byLoyola of
Theology, Papers15(Quezon
Loyola City: deManila
CBI,Ateneo 1986);Alfeo
University, G.
Nudas, GodWith
S.J., Revolution
Us:The1986Philippine (Quezon
City: deManila
CBI,Ateneo
1986).
University,

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76 PHILIPPINE
STUDIES

POWER IN A FILIPINO CONTEXT: THE MORAL

PERSPECTIVE

There are many meanings of power for the Filipino. By lakas,

ordinaryFilipinos usually mean power, strength,or influence.Tradi-
tional Philippine society is structuredaccording to the "patron-client"
(malakas-mahina)systemof dependencyand patronage. One's strength
dependson one's dependenceon some influentialperson. Thus thesmall
people who are powerless depend on the big people who are powerful.
In a democracy,people power is shownby therightof suffrage.But the
votingpower ofthepeople can be frustrated as happened in theelections
called by Marcos. In such a case local elections are not a good index of
authenticpeople power. At the EDSA revolutionit was the power of a
people with a shared commitmentthat prevented bloodshed. The
millions at EDSA gave expression to a new found lakas ng bayan, the
power of theFilipino people.
The focus of this note is not individual but social PEOPLE power,
used in two differentbutrelatedcontexts.People power in thesociologi-
cal sense is thepeople witha sharedcommitment.People power in the
ecclesial sense refersto the Churchas an institutionor as a community,
or thepowerofthepeople of God. People power is a commitment shared
by all the or
people by the whole nation or institution.
Althoughthe 1986 Filipino revolutionhad many faces, what is of
special concern is that it was a political revolutionwhich, though it
toppled a dictatorby people power, has remainedan unfinishedrevolu-
tion. Under the Marcos regime Filipinos saw the many faces of
individualorpersonal power.2 But people power is social or collective
power and the"signs of thetimes"in thePhilipinespointto its exercise
undertheAquino governmentfora social and moral revolution,thatis,
a change of Filipino attitudesand values and a change of unjuststruc-
tures. At the anniversarycelebrationof theFebruaryrevolution,Presi-
dentAquino called on thepeople to harnesspeople power foreconomic
goals - "the alleviationof mass poverty,generationof employmentand
equitable sharingof the fruitsöf development"3

2. EvelynEatonWhitehead andJames D. Whitehead, (NewYork:

SeasonsofStrength
Doubleday& Co.,1984)onadult Christian shedlight
maturing, onthemeaning and
ofpersonal
socialpowerandontherelation
ofpowerandauthority.
They thevarious
explain ofpersonal
faces
power suchaspower"on,""over/' and"with."
"for,"
"against,"
3.TheManila Chronicle
, 27February
1987.

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POWER
ANDRESPONSIBILITY 77

What is theFilipino culturalunderstandingof people power - lakas

ng bayan? Lakas has many meaningsforthe Filipino. Lakas loob or
innerpower or strengthcould mean pagsasarili or Filipino self confi-
dence and reliancewitha cultural,moralor religiousbasis. It could also
stand fora Filipino who has courage, strengthof character,moral and
religious maturity.During the Philippinerevolutionagainst Spain the
Filipinos foundlakas loob or revolutionarycourage fromthelakas loob
of Christin thePasyon ,4Those who lacked lakas loob could notbe relied
upon to lead and continuethe revolution.
But why undertheMarcos regimewas theFilipino pagsasarilior the
power of the people kept in a stateof dependencyand powerlessness?
The negative elementsof fourtraditionalFilipino values broughtabout
the people's apathy and lack of nationalism. These values are family
centeredness,excessive seeking of approval fromauthorityfiguresand
Filipino society,desire foreconomic and social betterment, and patient,
suffering endurance based on a fatalisticor irresponsiblebahala na
attitude.5"My familyfirstand only" mentalityleads to lack of concern
forthenationand forthepoor and powerless,to nepotismand cronyism,
to lack of self reliance. Passive acceptance of authorityand the ability
to get along withothersthroughpakikisama, utang na loob, hiya leads
to conformism,to governmentgraftand corruption.An excessive desire
foreconomic and social betterment leads to unscrupulousand dishonest
practices,status-consciousness, colonial mentality.If theFilipino is too
and
patient,long suffering enduring and leaves everythingto a fatalistic
and escapist bahala na mentality,thenhe easily becomes thevictimof
injusticeand exploitationand is reducedto indifferenceor apathy.
Power is not the same as authority. One can have power without
lawful authority.Althoughauthorityand power are notthesame thing,
power undergirdsauthority. Those who possess any authorityenjoy
some kind of power. A just and legitimate authoritydemands the
obedience of its subjects. But the illusion of authorityusurped by
fraudulentmeans has no moral basis forthe obedience of the citizens.

4.Reynaldo Qemena lieto,

PasyonandRevolution:
PopularMovements inthePhilippines,
1840-1910 (Quezon City:Ateneode ManilaUniversityPress,1980).TheFilipino
peasants
therevolution
perceived intermsderived
fromthePasyon's wayofthinking.
5. Thesefourmain negative (pp.29-31)andtheir
values
Filipino Christian
positive counter
values(pp.34-35)arebriefly intheSupplementary
explained ManualofEducation
forNational
Reconstruction
, compiledandpreparedbyCarmelo A.Caluag,SJ.,Emmanuel M.Flores,
SJ.,
AdrianoR.Tapiador, S.J.(QuezonCity:
LoyolaHouseofStudies, pp.29-31.Theyare
1986),
more
explained atlengthintheTraineesManual, pp.26-35.
ibid.,

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■yg STUDIES
PHILIPPINE

That is why the strongFebruary 1986 post election statementof the

Catholic bishops declared thatthe Marcos governmenthad no moral
basis and did not deserve the allegiance of the Filipino people. The
bishops were equivalentlyjustifyingnonviolent revolution,and their
statementled to Cory Aquino's call to civil disobedience and boycott

THE ETHICS OF PEOPLE POWER

Traditionalethicsprovidethegeneralmoralprinciplesforapproaches
to some contemporaryFilipino ethical issues on the responsibleuse of
people power. Hrst, whatis themoralbasis of authenticpeople power?
The ultimategroundand adequate moralbasis andjustificationofpeople
power is God, the source of all power and authority. Secondly, the
-
purposeor goal ofpeople power is thecommongood ofthepeople the
growthof human freedomand human developmentof everyFilipino.
People power mustbe in the service of theFilipino people. Thirdly,the
moralprinciplesforjudgingtheauthenticity of people power are respect
forhuman dignityand fundamentalhuman rights,respectforthe truth,
and respect for the standardsand requirementsof human justice and
love.6 As a consequence thereare morallimitsto theuse ofpeople power.
When power is usurped or it no longer serves the common good nor
develops thehumanperson and his freedom,but violates human rights,
truth, justice and love, or resortsto violence and bloody revolution,then
it ceases to be the moral and responsibleexercise of people power. In
short,themoralnormsto measurewhetherauthenticpeople is trulyin the
service of the people are the standardsof human dignityand human
justice and love, whereasthereligiousnormis theChristian
riglits,truth,
faithand the Gospel.

L.Cardinal
6.Jaime Sinattheannualmeeting Businessmen's
oftheBishops- Conference
(12
March1983)on"Church andSuteCommitment toHuman Development,"
explains four
these
ofa mature
characteristics 1)respect
society:
political ofthehuman
forthedignity andhis
person
fundamental
rights tofullhuman
especially development; toform
2)capacity anorganic in
unity
which
community allows
constructive 3)promotion
pluralism; ofsocial
justice; for
and4) respect
truth.

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 ANDRESPONSIBILITY
POWER 79

Whatis thebest social structure or model forthepowerof thepeople?

Sociologist John Carroll,S.J. studiesthreemodels in Philippinesociety.7
Aftershowing the harm of the stereotypepolitico or "old politicians"
model based on the patron-clientverticalrelationshipof dependency,
and the class conflictmodel of theexploiterand exploited relationship,
he proposes as an alternativemodel theinterestgroupmodel ofhorizon-
tal relationshipbased on equality and fraternity.Under this alternative
model, people are grouped accordingto similarinterests,e.g. students,
urban poor, fanners,fishermen,artistsand media people, doctors and
nurses,youth,etc. But althoughthe different sectorshave equal human
rights itdoes notnecessarily follow thatthegroupsare equal and fraternal
unless theirChristianfaithinspires them to thinkand behave in relation
to one anotherequally as brothersand sisters. The rise and growthof
people power comes about fromeducationand conscientization,organi-
zation, and the mobilization of the people towards not only group
interestsbut the common good of the people or nation.
How does power and Christianresponsibilityapplyto theexercise of
people power in a Philippinecontext?8On thebasis ofFilipinomoraland
religiousexperience,whatdeterminesthemoralityof therightful acqui-
sitionand responsibleexercise of people power?® Power is not a neutral
force nor is it morally indifferentPower awaits human directionfor
service which is given throughhuman decision-making. Decision-
makingthenis effectivelytheexercise of power. The exercise of power
assumes the acquisition of power whose moral foundationis God, the
authorof humannatureand thesourceof all humanrights.But todaythe
exerciseofhumanrightsis notsafeguardedor guaranteedexceptthrough
social or people power.

7. JohnJ.Carroll,SJ.,Looking Beyond Edsa(PartI) inHuman 42 (Manila:

Society La
IgnaáanaApostolic Center,1986) the
illustrates threesocialmodelswithdiagrams andgives
concrete examples.
Filipino Joaquin SJ.(Philippine
G. Bernas, , 3 April
DailyInquirer 1987)
reviewsthehistory
ofmodelsofthePhilippine andcomes
Presidency upwiththefollowingmodels:
(Emilio
fugitive Aguinaldo),
imperial(ManuelQuezon),symbolic dictatorial
(1973Constitution),
(Ferdinand
Marcos), andtentative
(Corazon Itremains
Aquino). tobeseenhowCory Aquinowill
performby theend ofherteim.
8.Romano Power
Guardini, andResponsibility
(Chicago:HenryKegneiyCo.,lyol)detines
theessenceofpower, a theological
presents ofpower,
concept ofthenewconcept
andinthelight
ofresponsible
power, mapsouta newcourse formodem
ofaction times.Thewhole volumeof
Concilium90(1973)edited byFranz BockleandJacques-MariePohiercontains of
a spectrum
articles
theological onthetopic.
9.Thomas McMahon, "TheMoral AspectsofPower,"inConciliumyu,p.31-to.

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go PHILIPPINE
STUDIES

Three contemporaryethical questions deserve our special attention

and reflection: Who has the responsibilityto share power, withor for
whom is power to be shared; and how is thispower to be shared?
First,in view of thegrossmaldistribution of income and power in the
Philippines, who must share power with whom? Do the rich and
powerfulinfluentialshave a moral responsibilityto share theirpower
with the poor and powerless? Is this moral responsibilityout of an
obligationof justice or an optionalchoice of charity? Secondly, do the
poor and thepowerlesshave themoralresponsibilityto acquire or share
power? What is theirresponsibilityfordecision-makingand participa-
tion? The greaterthe social power,the greaterthe responsibility.
To answerthefirstquestion,therichsharingpower withthepowerless
is a moral responsibilitydemanded by human justice and love. My
neighbordeservesjustice and love because he is a human person with
basic human rights.To answerthe second question,thepowerless have
theresponsibility notto allow themselvesto be manipulatedor expolited
and at the same time to seek moral power for human and Christian
development. As long as themajorityof the people remainignorantof
theirdignityand rightsand thus remainunorganized,theywill always
become victimsof injustice.
Thirdly,how should the powerfulshare power with the powerless?
How is the process of decision-makingby the leaders shared withthe
people? How is the decision of the people reflectedin the decision of
theirleaders? For participatory decision-making,knowledge and com-
municationare necessary. Knowledge is power and is essential forthe
rightdecision of thepeople. This is theprincipleof power-delegation.
In thesocial groupingof people accordingto varyinginterests,a higher
person or group should nottake thefunctionof a lower personor group
if the lower group can dischargethe function.This is the principleof
subsidiarity.Both these principlessafeguardthepeople's participatory
decision-making.
How can theeducation and conscientizationof theFilipino poor and
powerless at thegrassrootslevel of societybe effectivelyaccomplished?
How can grassrootsleaderseducate,organize,and mobilize thepowerof
the Filipino people? In a democracy, authorityor sovereign power
residesinthepeople. However,in contemporary is the
thought,authority
culturalinterpretationof power. It is what we make of power among us
that determinesthe shape of authority. According to Steven Lukes,10

10.Steven Power
Lukes, : ARadical
View MacMillan,
(London: 1974).

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 ANDRESPONSIBILITY
POWER gJ

whereaspowerused to be a matterof gettingsomeone else to do whatyou

wanthimto do foryourbenefitand notforhis, power today is more and
more becoming a matterof gettingothersto thinkwhat you wantthem
to thinkso as to legitimize your advantages and preventthem from
becomingexplicitlyaware of theirdisadvantagedposition. Increasingly
in contemporarysocieties, the crucial issue in power relationshipsis
controlof the flow of information.Power today is roughlythe shaping
of theperceptions,cognitions,and preferencesof underlings.Procuring
allegiance to the statusquo is generallyachieved by convincingpeople
thatthere are no alternatives,or thatthe presentorder is naturaland
unchangeable, or that the way things are is divinely ordained and
beneficial.

POWER IN A FILIPINO CONTEXT: THE CHRISTIAN

PERSPECTIVE

How does power enterintothevalue systemof theFilipino Christian?

Power is not only ethically neutral; it can be a positive source for
fulfillingChristian goals and for humanizing Philippine society by
fortifying the exercise of justice and love. From the viewpointof the
Christianfaith,why should people power serve justice and the poor?
Filipinos are all made in the image of God and as co-creatorshave the
moral responsibilityto createnew selves and a morejust worldin which
to live.
In a countrywhere 70 percentof thepopulationis below thepoverty
threshold,all Filipinosmustbear responsibility in theeyes ofGod forthis
situation.No Filipino who lives above thepovertyline can claim he has
no responsibilityfor the dehumanizingpovertyof his less fortunate
brothersand sisters. The upper30 percentof theFilipino populationhas
a seriousobligationinjustice and love to change the immoraland sinful
situationof the poor majoritywhich is an affront to human dignityand
to theimage of God in thepoor. A preferentialoptionforthepoor does
not mean thatthe poor are betterthanthe rich,but thatGod chose to be
withthem.In theOld Testament,Y ahwehwas on theside ofthepoor and
powerless (e.g. Exod. 22:21-28; Amos 5:10-15; Isaiah 1:11-18, 58:3-
12). Jesus Christ in the New Testament identifiedhimself with the
hungry,thethirsty, thehomeless,thenaked,thoseinprison;in short,with
the least of our brothersand sisters (Mt. 25:31-46). Recent social
teachingsof the Churchemphasize thatGod is only encounteredon the
path of justice and that our love of God is measured by our love of

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g2 STUDIES
PHILIPPINE

neighbor. The 1971 Roman Synod of Catholic bishops in Justicein the

World clearly stated that "love of neighbor and justice cannot be
separated." For love requirestheminimumofjustice andjustice reaches
its innerfullnessonly in love.
Negatively,the Filipino Christianmust not use any power without
exercisingjustice and love or by violatinghuman rightsor resortingto
violence. Positively,theFilipino Christianas co-creatorhas therespon-
sibilityof creatinga new Filipino and a new Filipino nation. The kindof
role and power one possesses in the Churchdeterminesthe gravityof
one's moral responsibilityand accountability.
In the Christianview, the outside source of people power is God,
throughtheHoly Spiritwhose loving presence in us gives us a new way
of being and acting(John3:5-18). Throughbaptism and the giftof the
Holy Spirit,the Christianbecomes an image of God, a new creature,a
childofGod. The courageto be a trueChristianalso comes fromtheHoly
Spirit. ChristsharesGod's life and power withus. This divine power,
new to us, is called grace and is simplytheselfgivingof Father,Son and
Holy Spirit Withouta change of attitudesand values inspiredby this
Spiritof Christ,no amount of social justice will effectradical social
changes in our country.

CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY OF PEOPLE POWER

Whatarethetheologicalfoundationsin Christianrevelationofpeople
power? Let us focus on three Christiantruthsor giftsof God: first,
creation,second adoptivesonship and third,thepersonoí JesusofChrist
who became man, suffered,died and rose again for the liberationor
salvationof mankind. First,the Christiandoctrineof creationprovides
a faithvision of human dignityand human work.Man is createdto the
image of God and is empoweredto be like God. The biblical foundation
of creativepower,bothdivine and human,is foundin Genesis Chapters
1 and 2. Man as God's image is theChristianbasis of humandignityand
humanrights.Human workforthe Christianis a participationin God's
continuingcreation,and JesusChristhimselfennobledworkby working
as a carpenter.Thus man as steward,not as owner,has themoral right
and responsibilityto exercise dominion over the earth. Secondly, by
faithin JesusChristand baptism,man becomes an adopted son of God.
Adoptivesonshipmeans God is ourFatherand JesusChristis ourbrother
in the Holy Spirit. The brotherhoodof all mankindmakes more sense
undertheFatheihoodof God. As childrenof God we are all brothersand

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 ANDRESPONSIBILITY
POWER g3

sistersbelonging to one human family. Thirdly,God became incarnate

in thepersonof JesusChristwhose eternalmissionfortheredemptionof
the world is union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Both from
Christianrevelationand universalhumanexperience we know the story
of man's Fall (Gen. 3) and thehistoryof man's sinftilness(Gen. 4-11).
The humanitythatman lost by sin is restoredby the power of the grace
of Jesus Christthe Liberator whose person, teaching,incarnationand
Paschal mysteryprovide a Christologywhich grounds a theology of
justice and human liberationand development.
The New Testamentis the storyof the good news of Jesus Christ's
whose Paschal mysteryliberatedman fromoriginaland personalsin and
freedhim frometernaldeath or separation fromGod forever. By his
teachingand life,Jesusproclaimed himselfas the revelationof God's
justice and made present God's kingdom of justice and love. Our
redemptionwas made possible only by God becoming man. Because of
a historyof sinfulness,mankindhad forgotten how to be human. By the
incarnationJesusChristby becoming flesh(John1: 14) restoredour full
humanity. God becomes incarnatein the person of Jesus Christand
entersour worldin weakness and humility.The Christianparadox is that
power is found in weakness and powerlessness. "He was crucified
throughweakness, and stillhe lives now throughthepower of God" (2
and weakness
Cor. 13:4). That is whySt. Paul could gloryin his infirmity
and sense God's response: "my power is at its best in weakness" (2 Cor.
12:9). He writesthatthe firstto take the radical attitudeof humilityis
God (Phil. 2:6-8).
There is power in the Cross and in theemptytomb. Only throughthe
suffering, death and resurrectionof Jesus Christis the salvation of the
worldwroughtand new eternallifeis gained. JesusChrist'skenosis,self
emptyingor total self donation,his takingthe formof a servantis the
Christianmeaningofpowerin weakness or powerlessness.In theChurch
todayto be of serviceto myneighbormeans to taketheformof a servant
in servinghis needs. This requiresgreathumilityand totalselfdonation.
When thisindividualhumble service becomes collective conversionof
a people, thenthe Christianfaithhas given birthto a new people witha
new power.
Experts will continue to analyze the Philippine revolutionof 1986
fromhistorical,sociological, politicaland culturalperspectives.But one
cannotescape theconclusion thatamidsttheinterplayof all theseforces,
God's providential power was behind people power. It was their
Christianfaithas people of God thatmade the Philippinerevolutiona

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g4 PHILIPPINE
STUDIES

Christianmiracle. Filipino theologianAntonioLambino, S J. called the

EDSA revolutiona biblical "Filipino Exodus," the liberationof the
Filipinopeople by an incarnateGod whose suffering, deathand resurrec-
tionsymbolizestheFilipino Paschal mystery." Where did people power
which was dormantforalmosttwentyyears come from? It came from
the Christianfaithof the Filipino people, a people's living faithand
perseveringprayer which contributedmuch in bringingout the rich
symbolismand meaningsof the Februaryrevolution."
Both theCommunistsand extremeLeftistsclaimed thattheonly way
to end theMarcos tyrannyand begin radical social reformwas through
violence or armed revolution. But Ninoy Aquino, Evelio Javier,and
otherFilipinos stood fornonviolenceand nationalreconciliationand for
thatveryreason became victimsof violence. Both the Catholic Bishops
and Pope JohnPaul n on the occasion of his visit to the Philippines
exhorted the Filipino people to nonviolence. The EDSA revolution
repudiatedviolence as an instrument of peace and affirmedthatnonvi-
olence is notjust a tacticor strategybut a way of life. Nonviolence was
themain reason forthesuccess of therevolution." Filipinos are a gentle
people (mahinahon,hindibasagulero). The nonviolentcharacterof the
Filipino is based on theinnatevalue of awa or compassion and mercyfor
the powerless who cry forhelp. Filipinos are a patient(mapagpasen-
siya), long suffering (mapagtiis) people. At EDSA nothingwas planned
ahead of time. Improvisationthroughintuitivefeeling(pakiramdam)in
emergencyand crisissituationsis a Filipino culturalstyle. The peaceful
negotiationsbetweenthesoldiersand civilians was on thebasis of ayaw
ng gulo butpuedeng pagusapan.

11.Fr.Lambino whofirst calledtheEDSArevolution the"Filipino Exodus"inboththe

Supplementary(pp.7-13)andTrainer's Manual(pp.8-15)ofEducation Reconstruc-
forNational
tion
(Seefootnote5 above) thefollowing
explains divine ofevents
1)a concatenation
fingerprints:
nottotally
explainablebyhuman 2)themystery
causes; ofChrist'scross atwork
andresurrection
inthedeathofcountlessmartyrs 3) Godworking
oftherevolution; through theriseofthe
people,
middlegroupsanda much more militant
Church;4)God'sSpiritpresent ofthepeople
inthehearts
asshown bytheirlove,joy,peace, kindness,
patience, faith,
generosity, gentleness control
andself
(Gal.5:22).
12.FranciscoJ.Araneta,"GodWastheHero," inTrainer's
Manual ofEducationforNational
ibid.,pp.16-20.See alsoSr.LuzEmmanuel
Reconstruction, Soriano,R.A."TheFaith and
Revolution,"MinistryToday 2,No.3,pp.48-50.
13. ViolenceorNon-violence: OptionorImperative,ofReason Pulso1,ino.
orChristianity?
2,1985.Thesecond partofDouglasJ.Elwood,Faith Encounters
Ideology: Discernment
Christian
andSocialChange (Quezon City:NewDayPublishers, 1985)is concerned theChristian
with
dilemma ofviolence ornonviolence.

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 ANDRESPONSIBILITY
POWER gg

The nonviolentrevolutiondrew its inspirationand strengthfromthe

Christianfaith. This was evidentfronvtheuse of numerous religious
symbols, and frequentprayer,manifestingthe faithand trustof the
people in Divine Providence. There can be no doubtthatthe Philippine
Churchplayed a major role in the 1986 revolution.DuringMartial Law
a significantnumberof Church leaders took the side of the poor and
oppressed and came to thedefenseof countless victimsof injustice. In
the last two decades before the revolution,the social teaching of the
PhilippineCatholic bishopshighlightedtheChurch's preferential option
forthepoor. Many of theclergyand religiousmade a choice to live and
workwiththe poor. Afterthe revolution,in his letterto thePhilippine
Catholic Bishops (28 June1986), Pope JohnPaul II remindedthemofthe
PhilippineChurch's commitmentto the Filipino people witha "prefer-
entiallove forthepoor" and gave guidelinesforthepolitical activityof
theChurch.Throughoutall the events of the EDSA revolution,the one
thingthatstandsout before,during,and aftertheFour Days of February
is thatthe Church stood on the side of the people. What is significant
historicallyand theologicallyis notthattheChurchwas in oppositionto
Marcos and on theside ofCoryAquino,butbiased in favoroftheFilipino
people of God.14
The responsible use of Church power can be considered from a
sociological and theologicalviewpoint While thesociological question
asks what is the role of thePhilippineChurchin relationto,the Aquino
government, thetheologicalquestionasks whattheChristianGospel and
the Christian faithcan contributeto the creation of a more just and
fraternalPhilippinesociety. Sociologist JohnCarroll,S. J. holds thatin
the Philippine context,besides its propheticrole of carryingthe social
message of the Christiangospel to the people and of protestingagainst
injustice and the violation of human rights,the Catholic Church can
assume a greaterrole in buildinga morejust Philippinesocietythrough
a specific strategyand structurefor nonviolent revolutionarysocial
change."

14.See thetheological
reflection
ofV.R.Gorospe, SJ.,"RememberingEdsa: A Filipino
Christian tobepublished
Reflection/' inMinistryToday 3.
15.JohnJ.Carroll,
SJ., TheChurch:APoliticalForce?"andThe ChurchandtheDilemma
ofSocialChange:A Viewfrom theThird World,"inHuman La Ignaciana
(Manila:
Society
Center,
Apostolic andApril
February 1984).SeealsoMantes "TheChurch
Sison, Gropesfor
aNew
Role."TheManilaChronicle
Focus
, 12April1987,pp.2-3.hithisconnection
a wordofcaution
hasbeenissued
bytheArchdiocese
ofManila for with
nottogelinvolved
priests "partisan
polities'*
(CorManilaXI,No.25,22March pp.2-3,11).
19879,

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g£ PHILIPPINE
STUDIES

Withregardto thetheologicalquestion,grantedtherichcontribution
of the Christianfaithvision to the creation of a more just Philippine
society, what is of interestand concern are the principles on the
responsibleuse of Church power in the post-electionstatementof the
Catholic Bishops ConferenceofthePhilippines. These principlescan be
summarizedas follows:

1. Churchpowermustbe powerforgood, attheserviceofthepeople,

fortheirwell being, developmentand growthas Filipino Chris-
tians;
2. The authorityand power of Christ was moral and religious in
natureand exercisedin a suasive, not coercive,manner,therefore
thepastoralaccompanimentof people power means thatauthority
and leadershipmustbe exercised in thesuasive mannerof Christ;
3. The temptationforthe Churchis to prostitutepower forsheerly
political purposes,thepower of the Word of God is forevangeli-
zation and politicization;
4. The moralpower of theChurchis evangelical and pastoraland yet
has a politicaldimensionwhichmustalways be subordinateto the
Church's evangelical-pastoralpower,
5. The Churchmustcontinueto play a propheticrole;
6. The key to thebirthand growthof Christianpeople power is the
fosteringof Basic ChristianCommunities(BCC's).16

Concretely,in the Philippinecontextit remainsto be seen in which

specificareas thepower of thepeople of God can be of greatinfluence.
This is the task of collective discernmentby the local Churchesin the
Philippines.
In short,whateverpower the Churchpossesses both as an institution
and as a communitymustbe at the service of God's people. Of all the
Philippineinstitutions, the Catholic Churchis themostpowerfulsocial
and moral force. No matter whatkindof governmentexists- Marcos,
Communist,Aquino - the Church should always be a Churchon the
side of the people, a Church of the poor. Leonardo Boff in his book

onChurch
Reflections
16."Episcopal PowerandtheRevolution," Today
Ministry 2,No.3
42-47. JaimeL. Cardinal
Sin,theauxiliary and
bishops the at the
Presbyterium
(1986): inPolitical
issued
ofManila
Archdiocese "ACatechismontheInvolvement
ofPriests Activity,"
CorManila,22March1987,pp.2-3& 11.

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 ANDRESPONSIBILITY
POWER g7

Church: Charismand Power, has a verytellingchaptcron convertingthe

institutionaldominatingpower of the Church to power for service of
God's people and, like Sarah in theOld Testament,theconversionfrom
sterilityto birthof a new Churchor a new people of God power."

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

There is, no doubt, need forfurther culturalstudyof Filipino lakas.

From a moral perspectivesocial power is forservice of thepeople, and
its authenticityand responsible exercise is based on respect for the
dignityof the human person, basic human rightsand the standardsof
truth,humanjustice and love. From a Christian perspective,Filipino
Christianshave a richbiblical and doctrinalheritageto draw from- the
truthsof creation,adoptivesonship,theIncarnationand Paschal Mystery
of JesusChrist- in creatinga morejust and fraternal Philippinesociety.
In conclusion, people power in a Philippinecontextdemands moral
responsibilityand Christiancommitmentto justice and to thepoor. As
PresidentCorazon Aquino putsit:"Now and in theforthcoming days,we
should turnpeople power into a force behind a second revolution:a
revolutionto bringabout developmentand recovery."

17.Leonardo
Boff, & Power
: Charism
Church (Quezon Cl&retian
City: Publications,
1985)
especially 5 where
Chapter thepower
askswhether
theauthor oftheinstitutional canbe
Church
converted?

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