Walk for life

The WALK FOR LIFE organized last year in February was the first big gathering of faith based groups in the time of Duterte to denounce the extra judicial killings that were happening in the name of War on Drugs. Thousands of people gathered in Luneta from many faith based groups to stand for life. It was not only against the EJKs but against all the other proceedings that see death as the solution for our problems, thus spreading the CULTURE OF DEATH. There was death penalty being dangled as the solution to criminality. There were the brazen words coming from public officials threatening people who oppose the administration’s policies.

This year the WALK FOR LIFE, organized by the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas, is slated for February 24 - again in the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta. Everybody is invited to join and show their stand for life. There are more reasons to make this WALK FOR LIFE this year because the list of issues against life has lengthened. Still EJKs are happening in the continuing War on Drugs in spite of the fact that many church groups have undertaken  programs to rehabilitate drug users and it has been proven that this is more effective in   addressing the illegal drugs problem. For more than a year already the War on Drugs has been waged with thousands killed, the vast majority of them poor, and still the drug problem continues.  Don’t they see that this is not the solution? Still the bill on the death penalty is on the floor, being already approved by the Lower House. Still the swearings continue in public speeches. And now there is the added problem of the extended Martial Law in Mindanao while Marawi, though “liberated,” still remains a dangerous place. There is also the push to change the constitutions with provisions to allow the present politicians to stay in power. All these political moves are happening while the ordinary people are being stifled by the burdens that they carry. The workers are still suffering from ENDO. The farmers still do not get to cultivate lands that have been awarded to them. The urban poor are still languishing from the lack of housing. The Lumads in Mindanao are still being bombed from their schools and communities, suspected of being NPAs. The environment is being ravaged by mining and aggressive development projects. The hope for peace has been dashed with the cutting off of peace negotiations with the left and even declaring the NPAs as a terrorist group. Hence several regions of the country are experiencing violence perpetrated both by the military and the NPAs. We truly need peace. We need to stand up for the protection of life.

The WALK FOR LIFE this is year includes a holy mass by the His Eminence Cardinal Tagle. He has instructed all the parishes in the Archdiocese of Manila to join this activity. Simultaneous WALKS FOR LIFE activities will also be done in Tarlac, in San Pablo, Laguna, in Cebu and in Cagayan de Oro with their bishops and archbishops. We should spread the vigilance for life and give many people from different places the chance to stand up for life.

The price for democracy is continuous vigilance because there are always people who are eager to grab power. This grab of power is always at the expense of life. When there is no longer respect for institutions, this is done usually done by trampling on basic human rights, especially the right to life and to a dignified life. Let us join our forces then in our WALK FOR LIFE. Let us stand up and be counted!