GMA, Noli meet bishops in Cebu

CEBU CITY — As her government is hounded by controversies, President Arroyo and her officials, including Vice President Noli de Castro, may be trying to earn points with Catholic bishops by meeting with two of the Church’s leaders here to discuss joint anti-poor projects.

Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor explained they want to regularly hold dialogues with the bishops in order to explain fully what the government has been doing, particularly for the poor.

De Castro accompanied the President here Tuesday for the 50th sacerdotal anniversary of Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal which was also attended by Manila Archbishop Cardinal-elect Gaudencio Rosales.

"(We are meeting) them for us to help each other, to cooperate for the implementations of programs and projects that the government is implementing for the poor and other anti-poverty campaigns being undertaken," Defensor said.

Some of these were taken up with the more than 20 bishops that gathered for Vidal’s sacerdotal.

Rosales, meanwhile, denied discussing political matters with the President and Vice President during Vidal’s sacerdotal anniversary.

"The President and the Vice President were rushing because they had to go to Bohol after attending Cardinal Vidal’s celebration. We were sitting at the same table during lunch but we did not discuss things related to politics," he said.

Rosales, who next week will travel to the Vatican, said if Pope Benedict XVI were to ask him about the current political situation in the country, he would say: "We are still striving for peace."

Rosales has so far distanced himself and the Church from politics unlike his predecessor, Jaime Cardinal Sin. He said the current political instability is not yet the end of the story for the Philippines.

"We need to be united," the newly appointed cardinal stressed to reporters at his residence in Intramuros, Manila yesterday.

He lamented that the country is still being divided by ambition, authority, power and poverty.

In a few days, Rosales will be leaving for the Vatican to attend the installation of 15 new cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church.

The embattled Mrs. Arroyo has been working doubly hard with her officials in fighting moves to oust her from office through alleged coup and destabilization plots.

The Church’s support is seen as pivotal in the survival of any administration in this predominantly Catholic nation.

Last week, the President also met with some bishops to discuss their concerns about mining. She said she received their assurance that they would not support efforts to topple the government or hurt the economy but were only against irresponsible mining and not mining per se.

The Palace is also seeking an audience with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ permanent council to explain in full the government’s pump-priming programs and other initiatives to uplift the lives of the people.

Secretary to the Cabinet Ricardo Saludo was earlier given the chance to explain the current government concerns and programs before a group of bishops.

"We are waiting for the permanent council to call us so we can explain and present to them our programs," Defensor said.

And despite persistent attempts to create a rift between the President and her Vice President, the Palace said this would not work as De Castro has shown his unity and cooperation with the administration. — With James Mananghaya