3rd of four parts
(Third Talk delivered at the annual holy retreat of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines held at the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Malaybalay City on the theme “Synod Spirituality: Embracing Ecology in the Light of Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum” on July 2-4, 2024)
4. The Ecological Imperatives in the CBCP Pastoral Letters
After its 1988 historic pastoral letter on ecology, the CBCP’s institutional commitment to ecology is evident in its urgent call to all the dioceses, parishes, Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), mandated organizations, church based groups, and competent laity to get involved “in the solving of ecological problems at their level of the community”[1] and “to explore ways to protect our environment as well as to propagate this environmental awareness”[2]. In fact, between 1998 and 2022, the CBCP has produced at least sixteen pastoral Letters and Statements related to ecology. Revisiting them today has allowed me to identify the CBCP’s main ecological concerns, together with its corresponding recommended actions, that need to be pursued today in response to the signs of the times. I tried to arrange its ecological concerns according to the number of pastoral letters that provide recommended actions.
4.1 On Mining Concerns
At least four CBCP pastoral letters/statements made some recommended actions to address mining issues. First, in 1998, they bishops asked the government “for the repeal of Republic Act 7942 known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995” and requested the Philippine President “to recall all approved Financial or Technical Assistance Agreements and other mineral agreements, and to disapprove the pending ones.”[3]
Second, in 2000, they called the attention of competent authorities “to address areas of policy conflict, for example, in the National Integrated Protected Areas System (1991), Mining Act (1995) and the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (1997).”[4]
Third, in 2006, they reiterated their request “to the President to recall all approved mining concessions, and to disapprove pending applications.” They also resolved to “support, unify and strengthen the struggle of the local Churches and their constituency against all mining projects, and raise the anti-mining campaign at the national level.” They even advocated for “the closure of large-scale mining projects.”[5]
And Fourth, in 2008, the CBCP “calls on a moratorium on mining activities until the government and the mining companies learn to uphold the right of the indigenous peoples, compensate the affected communities for past damages, and ensure responsible mining practices.”[6]
4.2 On Season of Creation
The concern for Season of Creation was treated in at least four CBCP pastoral letters/statements. This was first treated in 2003 when the CBCP Permanent Council declared every September 1 as “Creation Day” and the period between September 1 and October 4 October 4 (the Feast day of St. Francis of Assisi) as “Creation Time.” This was introduced as a period to “acknowledge ‘Creation’, that priceless gift of the Almighty and Loving Creator.” In this period, “the Church calls us to conversion regarding ecological concerns” and “welcomes ecumenical initiatives in ecological advocacy in order to preserve and promote God’s irreplaceable gift of Creation.” To internalize the spirit of this period, “our different liturgies celebrate the beauty and pain of our world, our connectedness to the natural world and the on-going struggle for social justice.”[7]
In 2019, the bishops renewed their decision in the Pastoral Statement of the CBCP Permanent Council in 2003 “to celebrate the Season of Creation as a way of integrating our ecological advocacy to our prayer and liturgical life.”[8]
In 2021, “CBCP called for the observance of Creation time … [after] Pope Francis formally added the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation to the Catholic calendar as an annual day of prayer [in 2015 and] officially invited all Catholics to celebrate the full season [in 2016].” The bishops explained that, “In the Philippines, we extend our celebration of this special season to the second Sunday of October, the Indigenous People’s Sunday.” They encouraged the people to “Celebrate the Season of Creation with [their] families, communities and parishes.”[9]
In 2022, the CBCP decided to “institutionalize the celebration of the Season of Creation and Laudato Si’ Week,”[10] which takes place every last week of May.
4.3 On Indigenous People’s Rights
At least four CBCP pastoral letters on ecology have tried to address some indigenous people’s concerns. In the Philippine context, IP and ecological concerns are intimately connected. In 2000, the bishops called on government to settle the policy conflict between DENR Laws and the 1997 Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA Law).[11]
In 2009, the bishops advocated that “we should learn from our Indigenous Filipinos who managed their forests in a sustainable way for hundreds and thousands of years.”[12]
In 2019, CBCP called to “respect recognize, and support the rights of indigenous peoples in protecting their ancestral domains.”[13]
In 2020, the bishops strongly recommended “that ecologically sustainable alternatives be carefully considered, … without destroying the precious culture and sustainable future of our Dumagat-Remontados tribes.”[14]
4.4 On Global Warming / Climate Crisis
Although the CBCP had initially included global warming and climate change issues in their ecological concerns in 2008 pastoral letter, the recommended actions emerged only in 2015 when the bishops made a commitment “to organize symposia and conferences on the issues that will be taken up at the Paris around of the climate change negotiations.”[15]
In 2019, the bishops listened to Pope Francis’ declaration of climate emergency and his clear policy direction on the need to progressively replace without delay “the use of highly polluting fossil fuels.” In response, they made “a definitive pledge to respond to the climate crisis” and expressed to “demand climate justice.” They encouraged the people to “join the campaign to immediately phase out coal-fired power plants and all other plants dependent on fossil-fuel, including coal mining.” To avoid the disastrous effects of climate crisis, they supported the call “to mitigate the ill effects of climate change on our planet and our communities.”[16]
In 2022, the bishops continued advocating to end the use of “coal, the dirtiest of all fossil fuels” and hoped that this “should pave the way for a complete phase-out of all other polluting energy.”[17]
4.5 On Renewable Energy Resources
Three of the CBCP pastoral letters recommended some actions to embrace renewable energy sources. First, in 2008, the bishops urged the people to “take advantage of the gifts of nature which offers healthier and less destructive options such as wind and solar energies, water and geothermal resources.”[18] In 2019, they pushed “for an immediate transition to safe, clean, and affordable energy.”[19] And in 2022, they highly encouraged the dioceses and other Catholic institutions to invest “in clean and renewable energy which is accessible to all.” They actively urged “financial entities to adopt sustainable finance policies and invest in renewable energy and ecological restoration and protection efforts.”[20]
4.6 On Setting up Ecology Desk in Social Action Center
After the 1988 Pastoral Letter on ecology had suggested it, CBCP Permanent Council in 2003 urged “once again the setting up of a Care of the Earth ministry at every level of Church organization.”[21]
In 2019, CBCP called upon the dioceses “to implement that decree in the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines, which categorically calls for the setting up of ‘an ecology desk in social action centers’ that would make ecology their special concern.”[22]
In its 2022 pastoral letter on ecology, the CBCP reminded its member to “continue the creation of an Ecology Desk in every diocese, … and strengthen the capacities of existing Ecology Desks.” It also proposed to “prioritize the allocation of budget and financial support for the desk.”[23]
4.7 On Water Concerns
In 2000, a CBCP pastoral letter “Water is Life” was released but most of its recommended actions are responses to ecological problems in general. A more specific pastoral letter that contains recommended actions to address water issues was released in 2018. The bishops opposed the Kaliwa Dam project and “strongly recommended to look for alternative sources” to the said project. They supported “the initiative in Congress and Senate to make an inquiry into the Kaliwa Dam; and [encouraged] all to ‘rethink how to use water’ in terms of the demand-side and consumption and protect our environment.”[24]
In 2020, the bishops called “on the concerned government agencies and other proponents of the Kaliwa Dam project to stop the implementation unless proper review is done to correct its flawed procedures.”[25]
4.8 On Divestment of Financial Resources / Non-acceptance of Dirty Donations
This is an emerging but urgent ecological concern in relation to our credibility and consistency in proclaiming the “gospel of creation” prophetically. As of now, there are two CBCP pastoral letters that treat this topic. One is in 2019 when the bishops agreed that they “must not allow the financial resources of [their] Catholic institutions to be invested in favor of coal-fired power plants, mining companies and other destructive extractive projects. Divestment from such investment portfolios must be encouraged.”[26]
The other is in 2022 when they bishops reaffirmed their decision not to invest their financial resources in ecologically destructive extractive projects. They added that “without clear commitments and policies from these banks to divest from fossil fuels, we commit to withdraw all our resources that are with them not later than 2025.” They urged “all institutions holding the Church’s financial resources to move away from extractive industries, including logging and mining, with haste. [They] will not support any activity that leads to promoting destructive mining.”[27]
Related to divestment of resources is the assertion of “a CBCP-initiated non-acceptance policy of donations of whatever kind, from owners or operators and any representative of extractive industries especially coal, fossil gas, mining, quarrying, logging, etc. (regardless of scale of operation).”[28] It is not certain if the list includes the destructive largescale agribusinesses that unsustainably exploit the land through monoculture plantation.
4.9 On Rights of Nature
The term “Rights of Nature” entered into the vocabulary of the CBCP pastoral letters in 2019 when the bishops called for the passage of the Rights of Nature Bill into law that “aimed at protecting our common home.”[29]
In 2022, the bishops renewed their “commitment to advance the Rights of Nature campaign” that aims to preserve “the delicate interdependence among all forms of life, recognizing that all elements of nature have the common right to exist and flourish.” They called “on the whole body of the Church” to support this bill in Congress and Senate, and “push for environmental local ordinances that promote the same.”[30]
4.10 On Logging
Arguably, deforestation seems to be the most visible ecological problem in the country and yet the CBCP has not done enough recommended actions to address it.
In 2008, the CBCP urged “the government to issue a total commercial log ban and intensify efforts to rehabilitate and reforest logged over areas, particularly those places vulnerable to earthquakes, landslides and floods.”[31]
In 2019, “growing indigenous plants and trees”[32] is one of the recommended actions to address climate crisis.
TOMORROW: Updating the CBCP Ecological Framework with Laudato Si’s Integral Ecology
(Fr. Reynaldo D. Raluto has been serving as parish priest of Jesus Nazareno Parish in Libona, Bukidnon since 2021 and has been leading the Integral Ecology Ministry of the Diocese of Malaybalay since 2022. From 2011 to 2021, he served as Academic Dean of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Cagayan de Oro where he also teaches fundamental/systematic theology and Catholic social teaching. Among his ecological advocacies are planting/growing Philippine native trees, mountain climbing, biking, and active participation in the cultural and ecological activities of the Indigenous People Apostolate of the Diocese).
[1] CBCP, “Water is Life” (July 5, 2000); https://cbcponline.net/water-is-life/.
[2] CBCP, “All Creation… Bless the Lord! (Daniel 3:57)” (October 4, 2014); https://cbcponline.net/all-creation-bless-the-lord-daniel-357/.
[3] CBCP, “A Statement of Concern on the Mining Act of 1995” (1998); https://cbcponline.net/a-statement-of-concern-on-the-mining-act-of-1995/.
[4] CBCP, “Water is Life.”
[5] CBCP, “Mining Issues and Concerns” (January 26,2006); https://cbcponline.net/a-statement-on-mining-issues-and-concerns-do-not-defile-the-land-where-you-live-and-where-i-dwell-num-3534/.
[6] CBCP, “Upholding the Sanctity of Life” (November 5, 2008);
[7] CBCP, “Celebrating Creation Day and Creation Time” (September 1, 2003);
[8] CBCP, “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion.”
[9] CBCP, “Journeying Together this Season of Creation 2021: Towards Renewing the Oikos of God” (23 August 2021); https://cbcponline.net/journeying-together-this-season-of-creation-2021/.
[10] CBCP, “CBCP, “A Call for Unity and Action amid a Climate Emergency and Planetary Crisis.”
[11] CBCP, “CBCP, “Water is Life.”
[12] CBCP, “Upholding the Sanctity of Life.”
[13] CBCP, “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion.”
[14] CBCP, “I look up to the mountains” (26 February 2020); https://cbcponline.net/i-look-up-to-the-mountains/.
[15] CBCP, “Stewards, Not Owners” (July 20, 2015); https://cbcponline.net/stewards-not-owners-2/.
[16] CBCP, “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion.”
[17] CBCP, “A Call for Unity and Action amid a Climate Emergency and Planetary Crisis.”
[18] CBCP, “Upholding the Sanctity of Life.”
[19] CBCP, “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion.”
[20] CBCP, “A Call for Unity and Action amid a Climate Emergency and Planetary Crisis.”
[21] CBCP, “Celebrating Creation Day and Creation Time.”
[22] CBCP, “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion.”
[23] CBCP, “A Call for Unity and Action amid a Climate Emergency and Planetary Crisis.”
[24] CBCP, “No to Kaliwa Dam, Yes to Alternative Sources of Water” (26 July 2018); https://cbcponline.net/no-to-kaliwa-dam-yes-to-alternative-sources-of-water/.
[25] CBCP, “I look up to the mountains.”
[26] CBCP, “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion.”
[27] CBCP, “A Call for Unity and Action amid a Climate Emergency and Planetary Crisis.”
[28] CBCP, “A Call for Unity and Action amid a Climate Emergency and Planetary Crisis.”
[29] CBCP, “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion.”
[30] CBCP, “A Call for Unity and Action amid a Climate Emergency and Planetary Crisis.”
[31] CBCP, “Upholding the Sanctity of Life.”
[32] CBCP, “An Urgent Call for Ecological Conversion.”