At the launching of the Save Carbon Public Market Movement (SCPMM), a bishop and a pastor from the United Church of Christ of the Philippines were in attendance. Their active participation in and support for the movement had the unintended effect of highlighting the absence of anybody from the Catholic clergy.
At the organizational meeting of SCPMM convenors, the presiding officer joyfully acknowledged the positive response of student, labor and faith groups that Carbon vendors have approached to ask for support for the movement. But he segued into expressing his dismay at the vendors’ failure, after a few tries, to get an appointment with Archbishop Alberto Uy to brief him on the boiling issues of Carbon and get his expressed support.
This doesn’t compute. It has me wondering about what happened to the priest or priests of the Cebu Archdiocesan Social Advocacies (Casa) office. They celebrated the Eucharist in Carbon in front of menacing policemen while the first demolitions were going on. That’s how engaged they were with Carbon vendors when the issue was just beginning to heat up. Why have they not facilitated the vendors’ appointment with the archbishop? Have they been replaced with priests who are clueless about the Carbon issue or simply numb to the cries of ambulant vendors for help?
As recently reviewed by Pope Leo XIV in his encyclical “Magnificent Humanity,” preferential treatment for the poor and vulnerable has long been the main feature of the Catholic Church’s social doctrine. Besides, Archbishop Alberto Uy has been vocal in urging people to join protest marches against the corruption and lack of accountability of public officials that cause the marginalization of millions of Filipinos.
Incidentally, over at the solid waste disposal front, a Catholic priest is there to promote an environmental program among parishes. I see him attend just about all meetings on Solid Waste Management and report on the progress of his work in getting parishes involved in the City’s efforts to reduce waste. Why don’t we see a priest from Casa engaged with poor ambulant vendors of the endangered Carbon Public Market?
A ray of hope shone when the presiding officer gave the good news that Msgr. Rommel Kintanar has offered an office where SCPMM convenors can meet regularly to plan on how to expand the movement and what to do to bend the minds and hearts of public officials towards promoting the welfare of small folks instead of sacrificing them in favor of rich big business. The good monsignor was not at the launch but to his credit he visited Carbon soon after for the purpose of getting fully briefed, and that he was, of the issues that have caused so much anxiety among small ambulant vendors.
I cannot imagine Archbishop Uy not supporting the cause of the vendors. It’s most probable that he hasn’t been briefed. It is, therefore, prayerfully hoped that those in charge of appointments consider giving preferential treatment to Carbon vendors’ request for an audience with Archbishop Uy. SCPMM would appreciate knowing that the Catholic Church of Cebu still stands on the side of the ambulant vendors of Carbon market. After all, Carbon is also, and mainly so, a moral issue.
