Christian youth and students from various schools and church youth organizations declared July 21-26 as a "Week of Prayer and Action" in preparation for mass mobilizations on the day of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's State of the Nation Address.
The weeklong event will highlight afternoon prayer rallies and mass actions of Christian youth and students in different school zones in Metro Manila. In Manila, students will gather along Taft Avenue on July 21, Sta. Mesa on July 22, and UBelt area on July 23. In Quezon City, the prayer rallies will be held along E. Rodriguez Avenue on July 24, and Katipunan Avenue on July 25. A prayer rally will also be held near Monumento in Caloocan City on July 26.
Students of neighboring schools in the said areas are expected to join the rallies.
"We want to show that the youth, Christian and non-Christian alike, will keep vigil and prepare for the big rallies set on Arroyo's SONA. We will march with the people to show the real state of the nation," Student Christian Movement of the Philippines chairperson Biyaya Quizon said.
According to her, they also want to prove and challenge the religious sector to stand up and speak out as the nation wallows in the immorality brought about by poverty and crisis.
"It is downright immoral for a country to force the poor to live with much less than what they earn, and how they are forced deeper into poverty with the policies of the Arroyo government," Quizon said.
On July 18, SCMP with other youth organizations walked out of classes and marched towards Mendiola calling the youth to "rise up for meaningful change." More than 2,000 students and out of school youth joined the rally. The event was capped with a concert at the Bonifacio Shrine in Mehan Garden.
Focus on more pressing issues, Church told
Quizon also reacted to the controversial issue of reproductive health and the stands of the Church and the Arroyo government in support or opposition of bills filed in the House of Representatives.
"While we agree that the issue of reproductive health is a concern to be discussed with different sectors, we believe the faithful today should focus on more pressing issues, especially the continuous rise of oil prices and basic needs and excessive tax burdens. These are the things that kill Filipinos little by little everyday," Quizon said.
She reiterated that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' call to review the Reformed Value Added Tax should be presented once more to the Arroyo government as "an urgent concern."
"It is obvious that Arroyo would favor tackling the issue of reproductive health because it will veer away the attention of the people from the issue of its blind responses to the clamor for price rollbacks and the removal of VAT on oil prices," the SCMP chairperson said.
She likewise said the CBCP is "on the right track" in terms of taking an active part in issues like corruption and economic issues.
"We pray that the CBCP and the Church will make greater efforts following their statements of concern for the poor Filipinos' situation," Quizon said.
A new Exodus
SCMP called on the Filipino youth "to combine prayer and action, and journey with the people towards a new Exodus."
The Exodus is a book in the Bible telling the event of the freedom of the Israelites from the slavery of the Pharaoh.
"Our country suffers from modern-day slavery, yet we know the God that we know would not permit his people to suffer. Let us fight the modern-day Pharaoh in Malacanang. Let us join the People's SONA on July 28 and tell Arroyo to 'let our people go'," Quizon ended. ###
Reference: Ma. Cristina Guevarra, secretary general and information officer, 09186106275
Biyaya Quizon, chairperson, 09289526973
The weeklong event will highlight afternoon prayer rallies and mass actions of Christian youth and students in different school zones in Metro Manila. In Manila, students will gather along Taft Avenue on July 21, Sta. Mesa on July 22, and UBelt area on July 23. In Quezon City, the prayer rallies will be held along E. Rodriguez Avenue on July 24, and Katipunan Avenue on July 25. A prayer rally will also be held near Monumento in Caloocan City on July 26.
Students of neighboring schools in the said areas are expected to join the rallies.
"We want to show that the youth, Christian and non-Christian alike, will keep vigil and prepare for the big rallies set on Arroyo's SONA. We will march with the people to show the real state of the nation," Student Christian Movement of the Philippines chairperson Biyaya Quizon said.
According to her, they also want to prove and challenge the religious sector to stand up and speak out as the nation wallows in the immorality brought about by poverty and crisis.
"It is downright immoral for a country to force the poor to live with much less than what they earn, and how they are forced deeper into poverty with the policies of the Arroyo government," Quizon said.
On July 18, SCMP with other youth organizations walked out of classes and marched towards Mendiola calling the youth to "rise up for meaningful change." More than 2,000 students and out of school youth joined the rally. The event was capped with a concert at the Bonifacio Shrine in Mehan Garden.
Focus on more pressing issues, Church told
Quizon also reacted to the controversial issue of reproductive health and the stands of the Church and the Arroyo government in support or opposition of bills filed in the House of Representatives.
"While we agree that the issue of reproductive health is a concern to be discussed with different sectors, we believe the faithful today should focus on more pressing issues, especially the continuous rise of oil prices and basic needs and excessive tax burdens. These are the things that kill Filipinos little by little everyday," Quizon said.
She reiterated that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' call to review the Reformed Value Added Tax should be presented once more to the Arroyo government as "an urgent concern."
"It is obvious that Arroyo would favor tackling the issue of reproductive health because it will veer away the attention of the people from the issue of its blind responses to the clamor for price rollbacks and the removal of VAT on oil prices," the SCMP chairperson said.
She likewise said the CBCP is "on the right track" in terms of taking an active part in issues like corruption and economic issues.
"We pray that the CBCP and the Church will make greater efforts following their statements of concern for the poor Filipinos' situation," Quizon said.
A new Exodus
SCMP called on the Filipino youth "to combine prayer and action, and journey with the people towards a new Exodus."
The Exodus is a book in the Bible telling the event of the freedom of the Israelites from the slavery of the Pharaoh.
"Our country suffers from modern-day slavery, yet we know the God that we know would not permit his people to suffer. Let us fight the modern-day Pharaoh in Malacanang. Let us join the People's SONA on July 28 and tell Arroyo to 'let our people go'," Quizon ended. ###
Reference: Ma. Cristina Guevarra, secretary general and information officer, 09186106275
Biyaya Quizon, chairperson, 09289526973
