Pahimangno ug panghinaut alang sa mga opisyales

Walay tawo nga nagkinabuhi ug nangalagad nga nag-inusa ra. Sa diwa sa panaglambigitay, tuguti ako sa pagpaambit kaninyo sa mosunod nga sulat nga gipadala nako sa mga bag-ong napili nga opisyal sa lalawigan sa Davao del Sur. Ang unod niini,  haom usab alang sa mga opisyal sa kasikbit nga mga probinsiya sa DADITAMA.

June 30,2013

To our dear Newly Elected Officials:

Peace be with you!

Allow me to express first of all, together with our Priests, Religious , and Lay faithful, our sincerest CONGRATULATIONS to all of you who today take your oath of Public Office. We wish you well and success in your new mandate to serve the people of Davao del Sur.

Like you, we share your humility and gratitude before the God of all Creation, and to the people who entusted you with this great opportunity to be at their service . We, as a community of faith, will continue to pray always for you and with you, at our Sunday liturgies, that God may continue to grant you the wisdom, courage, compassion, and good health of mind body and soul. For after all, public service is not only a public trust, but we believe it is also a divine entrustment. He will surely come to your aid.

After a very contentious local elections, I implore all of you to set aside your differences and misgivings, rising above them, and come together, in mutual respect and love,  knowing that in your UNITY, more will be accomplished for the COMMON GOOD. The genuine development of Davao del Sur is dependent on your capacity to bring diverse peoples to be co-responsible for the shared and common cause of the peoples’ development, so that they become  self reliant, responsible, and productive members of society.

May I, as one of the Spiritual Leaders in Davao del Sur, present the following paternal admonitons:

1. To be genuine public servants, you need adequate COMPETENCE. I am sure the DILG, will  provide all the necessary service trainings and orientations for all of you. Take them more seriously. There are also civil society groups, the academe, and NGOs who will be morenthan willing to help you and your staff.

2. CONSCIENCE  is paramount. To serve well and to provide good governance, one has to also serve ethically, morally and religiously. As such there will be no dichotmy between faith and public service. This will surely give meaning to the Administration’s DAANG MATUWID. Oo, MATUWID tungo sa marangal, tapat at makadios at makatao na pagkalinga sa kapwa. I am sure your respective faith affiliations do provide you ample formation in conscience, groundednon tenGod given human dignitynof every prson and his common good.

3. COMPASSION for all, specially “for the poorest and the weakest, those who are closest to God.” should   be your mantra. Today, we often hear of the term “inclusive growth.” Compassion for all is the antithesis of the Politics of Vested Interests. This requires a certain degree of selflessness, expressed in caring and sharing – well put this way,  “less for myself, more for others so that all may have enough.” For us Catholics, we have the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as our teacher and guide and inspiration in compassion. Learn to imitate them.

4. CHARACTER must be appropriate for  public service. One has to be HUMBLE before God and his people. One has to be RIGHTEOUS in his dealings with everyone. One has to be TRUTHFUL in all things. One has to be COURAGEOUS AND FIRM in all undertakings for what is true, good and beautiful.  Good governance require from you the courage to go against the culture of getting and culture of corruption and death.

i hope that the above virtues, that are already in you, will continue to grow and bear fruit, fruit that will last, for generations of Davaonons to come. We in the Catholic Church humbly offer our continuing  collaboration so that we may, together, in mutual respect and openness, achieve a common interest, which is none other than, the unity, peace, and the fullness of life for all.

Again, CONGRATULATONS AND GODSPEED.

 
Very sincerely yours,

GUILLERMO D. AFABLE, D.D.
BISHOP OF DIGOS

email: bpjim0712@yahoo.com