IN TIMES of national crises, there will always be those fighting for truth, accountability, and reform. At the heart of this fight today is Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB), a non-partisan organization of the Jesuits.
Popular for their active participation in the Sumilao farmers’ case and their full support for NBN-ZTE whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, SLB aims to promote responsible citizenship, pursue truth and accountability, and evangelize culture.
Established in 1986 as the Namfrel Marines, SLB envisions “a Filipino nation that celebrates love of country and genuine democracy,” says Jess Paul Pasibe, SLB Project Officer for Political Affairs. “We try to define genuine democracy as participation of citizens [in] economic and political affairs.”
Upholding good citizenship
An audio CD, featuring Rizal holding a guitar on its cover, is one of SLB’s ways of promoting good citizenship, under its flagship program Citizenship by Good Example (CGE).
“[CGE] is a network of organizations [that do] good for the country,” says SLB Officer-in-charge Bro. IJ Chan-Gonzaga, SJ.
Initiated by eight organizations, which includes Pathways to Higher Education, Gawad Kalinga, and Rags2Riches, CGE was formed to intensify love of country by upholding volunteerism and socio-political engagement.
“We try to come up with ano bang ibig sabihin ng (the meaning of) citizenship at ano yung common understanding of people, particularly the youth, about citizenship,” Pasibe says. “What does it mean to be a good citizen sa context natin (in our context) today?”
CGE promotes its cause on a weekly AM radio show. The show, which also serves as an avenue for listeners to share their own ideas for a more just and peaceful country, airs every Saturday morning on Radio Veritas.
“Ang astig”
Rob Brian Roque (II BS Ch MSE) recounts being involved in SLB through its Sumilao project. Roque is presently the SOSE sophomore central board representative.
At first, Roque says he got involved because of the Sanggunian. As time went on, he was moved by the plight of the Sumilao farmers.
“Ang astig nga kasi (It was cool) that [the] project of SLB was a very big opportunity for most students to really get involved [in] social justice,” Roque says. “Those kinds of projects really form you.”
Pasibe says that projects like Sumilao boil down to the simple Jesuit philosophy: “you ought to go where there is a greatest need.”
Right now, one of those greatest needs concerns elections, says Pasibe. Mission 10 by 2010, launched in 2007, aims to counter social distrust and to encourage political involvement in preparation for the 2010 elections.
Mission 10 by 2010 lists options for political involvement beginning in 2007 until 2010. It enumerates 10 reasons for involvement, 10 accomplishments to be achieved by 2010, and 10 options for involvement through SLB programs.
Chan-Gonzaga asks, “Why are we starting this early?”
“Eh walang ‘yang mga pulitiko natin they started this early, meron na ngang nagso-sponsor ng sabon, ng facial care (our shameless politicians started this early, some already sponsor soaps and facial care),” he answers, laughing.
The drama behind elections
In relation to the 2010 elections, SLB’s Pinoy Voters’ Academy (PVA) also enables prospective voters to be more active in meeting the challenges of democratization through voting.
Pasibe says that most Filipinos used to look at the popularity of candidates. It’s one of their strongest advocacies. “So in the last elections, some people who were popular did not win. For example, Cesar did not win. Or Manny Pacquiao.”
PVA teaches the need for comprehension, from candidates’ characteristics to the tasks of a responsible voter and citizen, through learning modules.
Participants in the “academy” learn about the present condition of the country’s political and economic situation, and the basics of democracy in relation to politics and economics.
More than politics
When SLB was informally established as the Namfrel Marines in 1986, and even after they officially became Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan in 1987, the group delved only in political issues like the elections.
In 2001, after a major disaster in Marikina, Malabon, and Valenzuela, SLB began to engage into disaster management, says Chan-Gonzaga.
SLB has produced projects such as Agap Bikol and Ligtas Guimaras to help the victims of super typhoon Milenyo on September 2006, and the Guimaras oil spill last August 2006.
However, Chan-Gonzaga says SLB will always remain political. People always turn to SLB for national situationers, he says. SLB discussed the country’s political and economic situation in national situationer Kwentong Bayan last February, where Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo, and economist Winnie Monsod participated in a talk and an open forum.
Forming principles and advocacies
While Ateneans may be active in supporting SLB and its projects, Chan-Gonzaga says he can’t help but be sad. “We’re teaching students charity instead of justice,” he says.
Chan-Gonzaga says that poor communities, for example, have become dependent on the groups who have been bringing them clothing and rice every Christmas for the past 20 years. “We have lost our sense of justice.”
Or maybe not. Gio Tingson (III AB Philo) believes that the passion for social justice he shares with SLB is what motivates him to be involved with SLB and its activities. He was coordinator for the Ateneo’s Disaster Response Emergency Assistance and Management Team, or Dream Team, and he also participated in the Sumilao project.
Currently, he is coordinating with SLB for the truth, accountability, and reform framework for the upcoming national congress with the Busina network.
Tingson adds that SLB has been shaping the foundation of his principles and values, and addressing his advocacies.
“I think [people] should really see what SLB has done,” he says. “From Rags2Riches program, to the Kuwentong Bayan program, to the relief in Bicol, to the Sumilao March, up to the fight for truth, accountability and reform.”
