Faith, hope and charity

When people face threats from natural disasters, many turn to their faith to see them through. People hope that contingency plans work and that the charity of their community and the world at large will tend to the needs of the most vulnerable. The Advent Calendar this year had the unwelcome visit of Typhoon Ruby. Faith played a strong part in strengthening the resolve of those in the path of the storm. Hope most certainly was fulfilled by the largest peacetime evacuation in the Philippines. Governments, business and ordinary people dipped into their reserves to help those who lost what little they had.

To mark Thanksgiving, I joined my fellow Australian and American ambassadors for an ecumenical service where we heard of our shared traditional narrative of Leviticus. I was struck by the modern relevance of the conditions that led to the Exodus, the subject of a newly released film shot in Pinewood studios in the UK. A troubled region, oppression and the search for a rules based world. The tentacles of uncertainty reach out to us no matter where we live. That is why we have invested so much hope in the quest for peace, be it in Bangsamoro, the frontiers of Europe or across oceans. Some of these aspirations will need financial underpinning but much more will come from countries acting for the wellbeing of their neighbours rather than narrow self interest.

There is now a virtually unshakeable faith in the science of climate change and the lead taken by the Philippines in shaping a consensus on the need for global action is clearly visible in the United Nations. There is hope for a deal that will commit us all to reduce the impact of global warming. The Global Climate Fund, with the UK contributing up to P50 billion, will help countries like the Philippines to take mitigation measures.

Faith in the global economy remains fragile. It is true that the UK and the Philippines are rising stars in our respective regions. One positive dividend of the UK’s economic resurgence is our commitment to giving 0.7% of our Gross National Income as development assistance and humanitarian relief.  The hopes of our people for jobs, prosperity and better lives rest on governments acting responsibly, creating open conditions for growth and trade together with strong commitment to the rule of law, including action on corruption. A thief in a suit does greater harm to ordinary citizens than a hold upper preying on travellers. We should not take a charitable or partisan view on law breakers.

Whilst it is not uncommon for journeys to begin with a wish for safe deliverance, there is a need for greater faith in transport and infrastructure. In our interconnected world, we are more reliant on cyberspace than ever. Speed and safety are as essential in the virtual as the real world. I do hope that the expertise and capability the UK has demonstrated to the public and private sector will form part of the solutions that are urgently needed for road, rail, air and maritime investment in the Philippines. Our help is both in the form of knowledge sharing as well as competitive funding.

As the year draws to a close with family and friends coming together, it is also a time for renewed faith in the year ahead. Not all of the 250,000 Filipinos living in the UK or the 17,000 Britons here will be making a 10,000 km journey. But each of us can celebrate the special close bonds we have. My own hope is that we are able to cherish all that is good in our lives and make a commitment to change what could be better. In doing so, I have greater faith than just hope that the spirit of giving and service to the community that has been present in people throughout 2014 will grow even stronger next year. Charity during Christmas and other festivals is great and greater still is the contribution we can all make every day.

Dear friends, Maligayang Pasko and Seasons Greetings to all of you!

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(Asif Ahmad is the British Ambassador.)