Reject pro-mining candidates, says Borongan Bishop Varquez
MANILA, Philippines – Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez urged Filipinos to reject pro-mining candidates and political dynasties in one of the earliest pastoral letters issued by a Catholic prelate ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.
“Do not support candidates who advocate for mining or are backed by mining companies,” said Varquez in a pastoral letter dated Sunday, January 5.
“Study the history of the candidate’s acts for or against the poor and/or the environment. Let us not be duped by words. Let us be guided by a candidate’s track record or history in holding responsibilities,” he added.
Other reminders issued by Varquez include the following:
- “Elect the right candidates,” without letting “financial incentives” sway their votes
- “Avoid political dynasties,” which “impoverish our choices and reduce political positions to family heirlooms”
- “Support selfless leaders,” who “are willing to sacrifice for the sake of the country and the environment”
- “Encourage productivity,” preferring candidates “who inspire our people to be productive and enterprising, particularly in food production and in economic resiliency”
The 64-year-old Varquez, who has been bishop of Borongan in Eastern Samar since 2007, is one of the most politically outspoken prelates in this Catholic-majority country. He is also a staunch critic of mining companies.
Varquez, in his pastoral letter, said that “we cannot but be distressed by some prevailing realities” in the Philippines, including Eastern Samar.
“Corruption is rampant. The hard-earned money of our people, collected as taxes, is often lost to graft and misappropriation. Political dynasties persist. Money has become the primary means to win elections. Vote buying has become commonplace, with the disturbing trend of selling and buying candidates leading to a lack of genuine contenders,” the bishop said.
“Environmental destruction has reached alarming levels, making climate change nearly irreversible. The ever-worsening conditions due to mining operations in Homonhon Island and Manicani Island in Eastern Samar are a case in point,” he added.
More Catholic bishops are expected to speak out in the months and weeks leading to the high-stakes 2025 elections, seen as a referendum on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the middle of his feud with Vice President Sara Duterte.
The Catholic Church is known for its involvement in Philippine political issues, especially during the time of the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, who helped in ousting the current President’s father, dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.
Many Filipino Catholics no longer take heed, however, with the Catholic Church having been weakened by scandals as well as rising secularism. In the 2022 presidential race, many Catholic bishops and priests endorsed Leni Robredo for president, but Marcos won as the Philippines’ first majority president in decades. – Rappler.com