Imelda’s grandfather was a Spanish friar

I had not thought of the connection until Raissa Robles of South China Morning Post called to ask me a few questions on an important revelation about Imelda’s origins in the "Untold Story of Imelda Marcos." Wasn’t the former First Lady of the Philippines descended from a Franciscan friar? She was. Oddly it was not what embarrassed her, Marcos or indeed the rest of the Romualdezes I met. At least as far as Imelda and Marcos were concerned, they were more embarrassed that she had been a mere poor relative of the Romualdezes once upon a time, than they were about the family skeleton in the closet, Spanish friar Fr. Francisco Lopez.

* * *

The sex scandals of priests rocking the Catholic Church in the US and elsewhere are nothing new. The sex was there since Adam and Eve. As for the scandal aspect of it, this came about in the 12th century when the Roman Catholic Church decreed through the Lateran Councils of 1123 and 1139 that "men of God must sleep alone". It was one of those rules doomed to be more violated than followed.

* * *

By the time the Spanish friars landed in the Philippines to propagate the Roman Catholic faith amongst the natives, the requirement of celibacy among priests in Europe was being celebrated by transgression even by the highest authority within the Church. Here’s the picture of celibacy among men of God drawn by William Manchester in his book "A World Lit Only by Fire":

"In the very beginning, the fist vicars of Christ had withdrawn from the world and its temptations. Now they became indistinguishable from the nobility. Once they had held the blessings of austerity to be inviolate, even renouncing marriage and cohabitation. Now celibacy yielded to widespread clerical concubinage and, in the convents, to promiscuity and homes for fatherless children born to women who had pledged their virtue as brides of Christ."

* * *

Thousands of miles away from home, should it be surprising if the Spanish friars would recreate the life they had left behind. On the contrary, the celibate Spanish friars would be most vulnerable to homesickness. And so was Fr, Francisco Lopez whom the Romualdezes cheerily describe as a beloved ancestor. Why should we be ashamed that we descended from a Spanish friar? a Romualdez asked. After all, it could be said that Filipinos (they were not even called that then) who were tall and had Western features at the time were expected to have been sired either by a priest or a soldier. They were the ‘jefes’ in the era of Spanish colonization.

* * *

Given that historical background, recent revelations that a nunnery in suburban Manila has been sheltering women made pregnant by priests did not shock the only "Catholic country" in Asia. Filipinos have lived with the fact since the Spanish conquest. Ms. Robles carries it further and quotes an anthropologist Regalado Jose Junior, an anthropologist who studies the cultural heritage of the Catholic Church, "In the 19th century, there have been some cultures in the Philippines that really wanted to beget children by priests. They (the women) put themselves in path of the priest. This can be a way of seeking a better future for the children in terms of lineage or looks."

* * *

But as the South China Morning Post article adds "the supreme power of the priests or "frailocracy" became one of the triggers of the 1896 Filipino revolt against Spain." How the modern day violators of the Lateran council celibacy decree will fare remains to be seen. There may be no uproar against the erring priests and the CBCP may have apologized but the comparison with their Spanish antecedents will have damaged the moral pretensions of some high ranking officials of the Church in the Philippines. This is not something to lament.

* * *

On the contrary, it should be viewed as reinforcing the growing maturity of Filipinos towards the Catholic religion and the men who represent it in their communities. They may not write novels like the national hero, Jose Rizal against the lust of priests, but priests in general, not just erring priests will be treated humanely as ordinary mortals. It would be a positive contribution of the sexual scandals if it is made an opportunity for learning that ‘priests’ do not have the last word on what is good or what is bad. The corollary is that Filipinos will begin to think for themselves and that cannot be too bad.

* * *

In my humble opinion, the matter of celibacy for priests should be made optional. There are varying temperaments among priests, some who will be able to withstand temptations and others who will not. Therefore although it may sound good that the Catholic Bishops Conference had issued an apology, I do not think it is facing the issue squarely. With all due respect to Monsignor Hernando Coronel who may mean well but if I were him I would leave the question of whether it will happen again to the priests themselves. But I wish the Vatican would see the light and think of remedial steps that would hold and that is to make the question of celibacy optional. The rule is not written in stone. Moreover it is man-made and subject to change in the light of modern circumstances.

* * *

The right to vote for Filipinos abroad was a vision as far back as 1980. Recently a congressman visited me at my home to tell me he joined a group of politicians who visited capital cities including Riyadh to find out just what OFWs thought about the absentee voting law. (The politicians call it on the spot consultations, critics called it junkets at the expense of taxpayers! The junket included 11 consultation hearings).

He was surprised at what they found out. Filipinos abroad whether in New York, Riyadh or Hong Kong were very much aware of their right to vote which by the way is guaranteed by the 1987 Constitution. If it took so long to make it possible for OFWs to vote it is no thanks to politicians who have kept back the enabling law that would have allowed absentee voting as early as 1987 when the so-called Cory Constitution was ratified overwhelmingly by Filipinos.

* * *

What few Filipinos know is that the campaign for giving Filipinos the right to vote began as far back as 1980 in Honolulu, Hawaii at the East-West Center. At a seminar, my husband former ambassador Alberto A. Pedrosa, then president of the London-based Pagkakaisa ng Samahang Pilipino and the European-wide Confederation of Overseas Fiipino Organizations delivered a paper that launched a platform for Filipinos overseas. That platform revolved around five issues - the right to vote, no double taxation, dual citizenship, lower passport fees and better treatment from Philippine embassies. At the time, we were political exiles in London and we saw then that the power of Filipinos overseas can be made to bear on Philippine politics only if they are convinced that it is in their interest to remove the Marcos dictatorship. One way was to ensure that the five issues for OFWs wellbeing will be addressed in a democratic government. We had miscalculated. It was first presented to the Cory government tin 1986. The bills on the platform for overseas Filipinos moved at a snails’ pace in Congress considering that we are now in 2002 and the matter of the enabling act to give Filipinos overseas the right to vote is still being debated..

* * *

But once the bill for the right to vote for overseas Filipinos is passed, positions will reverse. It will no longer be the OFWs who will be seeking congressmen and senators but senators and congressmen who will be seeking OFWs. No wonder twenty senators wanted their names at the bottom of the bill as having endorsed the proposed absentee voting law. If the bill is to be approved anyway, they might as well ensure their political investments by putting their name to it. With some 7.4 million overseas Filipino workers to vote in national elections, the political equation will change beyond anything lawmakers might have foreseen.. This is the time to remind our kababayans how hard they had fought for this right. They should use it intelligently. As for the senators, let us also cheer them for seeing the light and for crossing party lines to support the measure they have suppressed in Congress since 1987. Life changes.

My email is [email protected] or [email protected].