‘Massive poverty threatens families across Asia’

Massive poverty brought about by globalization is threatening the survival of families throughout Asia, the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) has reported.

"Cultural, economic, political, religious factors — including structures — influence Asian family for good or worse," the bishops said in a 127-page report approved during their 8th Plenary Assembly in Daejeon, South Korea from Aug. 17 to 23.

"However, other forces such as Asia’s massive poverty, divisions, conflicts, exploitation and oppression structures are facilitated by the process of economic and cultural globalization and are death-dealing.

"They threaten not only the quality of life but also the very survival of many Asian families."

Massive poverty has led to criminality, abuse, and breakup of families, the bishops added.

Quoting a United Nations report, the bishops said effects of globalization have "aggravated the situation" of the poor and of poor countries.

"Rural, agricultural families have been struggling to survive against the unfair competition brought about by economic liberalization and deregulation," the bishops said.

"Often, this has resulted to the stagnation of rural communities."

The bishops said an example is that the problem of Japanese rural families is not economic poverty, but the collapse of the agricultural villages themselves.

Globalization has also forced rural families to migrate to urban areas or to more economically developed Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as in the Middle East, the bishops added.

The bishops said these migrant families often live in dire conditions in the slums, and that abroad, they become victims of discrimination and exploitation.

Indigenous peoples who migrate for purposes of work face cultural dislocation and lose many of the positive values of their indigenous communities, the bishops added.

The bishops said the "feminization of poverty" has become the new phenomenon in Asia.

"A realization is dawning that much of the burden of poverty is borne by women," the bishops said.

An Asian woman is forced to help her husband earn a living, apart from her responsibilities as wife and mother, the bishops added.

Participants in the plenary assembly proposed the following:

• Development of an Asian theology of marriage and family.

• Creation of a family office/desk.

• Explore ways of affirming Asian family values.

• Promote studies on the impact on family life of emerging information, entertainment, and communications technologies.

• Encourage discernment and critical evaluation of media content and promotion.

Filipino Catholic bishops who took part in the event were Archbishop of Davao Fernando Capalla, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president; Archbishop of Cotabato Orlando Quevedo, Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga Paciano Aniceto, Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon, Bishop Gabriel Reyes of Antipolo City, Bishop Antonio Tagle of Imus, Cavite, Bishop Antonio Ledesma of Ipil, Zambales, and Bishop Rolando Tria Tirona of Infanta, Quezon.