By: Norberto
Betita
 |
| PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE |
More than
ever, our country today needs more participants than idle spectators in the
affairs of government. We need to be evermore aware of our duties and
responsibilities as citizens of this republic and therefore contribute in
whatever way and how little we can towards progress and development, setting
aside the contentious approach of partisanship.
We are a
nation of genuine democracy where majority rule is permitted and recognized by
the supreme law---The Philippine Constitution---which also articulate the protection
of the rights of each individual citizen.
Among the
many functions of majority rule in a democracy is to establish the mechanisms
in deciding and choosing representatives of the people into the different branches
of Government through the process of election. However, as it is when elections
end and the voice of the majority are determined against our favor, we remain
adamantly locked and immovable in our personal belief and partisan convictions in
opposition to the principle of majority rule and thus critically wrestle with
an established government. Consequently, we are divided, and such a reality is
the very reason why for the last many years we have remained to be a nation
documented and labelled as poor.
We are short
of understanding the words of Dr. Jose Rizal, many years ago, when he wrote: “I
can concede that the government has no knowledge of the people, but I believe
the people know less of the government. There are useless officials, evil, if
you like, but there are also good ones, and these are not able to accomplish
anything because they encounter an inert mass, the population that takes little
part in matters that concern them.” (Noli Me Tangere).
We are a
free nation and a free people, but such freedom of navigation to the blissful
economic shores are being subjugated by the selfishness of those who are in the
minority---the economically rich and the socially and politically powerful---who,
until now are hooked at using the weaknesses of the poor for their personal
gains and pushed them hard down the deepest depths of poverty and woe.
Now we have
a leader who, from the start of his presidential journey, has always wanted to
liberate our people from the mire of poverty by cleansing the government and
changing the bureaucracy; dismantling the giants of corruption and drug cartels;
fighting terrorism and insurgency; and suppressing the oligarchy. He is hated
and criticized by his political rivals; mocked and despised by the skeptics;
spurned by the unbelievers and doubters; and even considered an enemy to the
church. But he is resolute in fighting his battle with faith and courage; he is
honest in his convictions and unperturbed by the magnitude of opposition that
is before him; and he has always expressed his willingness to die for the
people he is elected to serve. His obstinate zeal to stand by his plans and
programs of government for the benefit of the majority and the coming
generations, brings to memory the words of Dr. Jose Rizal: “I don't see why I
should bow my head when I could hold it high, or place it in the hands of my
enemies when I can defeat them.” (Noli Me Tangere).
In his
leadership I found the significance and the hope that come from the words of
Dr. Jose Rizal when he wrote: “I do not mean to say that our liberty will be
secured at the sword’s point…but that we must secure it by making ourselves
worthy of it, by exalting the intelligence and the dignity of the individual,
by loving justice, right, and greatness, even to the extent of dying for
them,—and when a people reaches that height God will provide a weapon, the
idols will be shattered, the tyranny will crumble like a house of cards and
liberty will shine out like the first dawn. (El Filibusterismo).
The dawn of
our common victory through President Duterte will not shine unless we remain
united in supporting his presidency and his honest efforts to bring about the
changes, we need so long a time. We could not attain liberty from the bondage
of poverty if we continue to stand idly by as useless spectators and frustrated political pedestrians. We could not
find the gate to a bountiful life until we become willing participants in our
government’s cause.
Therefore,
in this New Year of 2019, if only to give my diminutive personal support to his
noble cause, I offer my personal public prayer for President Duterte.
| President Rodrigo Roa Duterte taking his oath of office |
Heavenly
Father,
In grateful
acknowledgement of Thine intervention
In inspiring
our people to vote for an unlikely President
Of our
Republic, we raise our voices high unto Thee
In praises
of thankfulness and adoration.
With
devotion and reverence for the divine manifestation
Of the
mantle of power through the people upon President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,
Notwithstanding
his earlier reluctance to run for the Presidency,
We are marvelously
grateful unto Thee.
We thank
Thee for President Rodrigo Duterte,
Our beloved
president, for working so hard,
Together
with his cabinet members, in fulfilling
His promises
to bring about changes in our government.
We unitedly
express our heartfelt gratitude
For the
strength and physical health and vigor
Thou hast
blessed him, despite natural deterioration
And corporal
limitations attendant to aging.
Most
profoundly, we thank Thee, O, Father
For the marvelous
unsung accomplishments
His
administration has introduced toward progress
And
development in our nation in this so short a time.
We thank
Thee for his sincere love and concern for the Filipino people,
Not only for
the present, but for the coming generations,
And his ever
sincere desire to build a nation worthy
To provide a
peaceful haven for its populace.
In the
hollow accusations and unwanted critical opposition,
Daily thrown
against him to put down his name and presidency,
We thank
Thee for the continued blessings of boldness, willpower
And courage
to withstand, which Thou hast powerfully endowed upon him.
We thank
Thee evermore for the divine influence
Thou hast laid
into the hearts of the people and the Armed Forces
And the loyal
cabinet members of his administration,
As to openly
and honestly support him in his program of government.
We are
profoundly grateful that until the end of the year 2018
The majority
of our people have remained loyal to the president
And are ever
confident of his leadership and governance
Towards our
country’s becoming an economically progressive nation.
Dear
Heavenly Father, in this day of developing culture of hate
In our
Philippine Society, we pray for Thy divine hands
To lift up
our beloved President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
Towards
attaining his dreams for the Filipino people.
We ask Thee,
to bless him with the mantle of power and authority
To
continually incapacitate the critical assaults from the opposition,
As regards his
method of governance in implementing intended changes
Aimed at
bringing our nation toward economic growth and development.
We ask for
Thy blessings upon the members of his cabinet
That all may
be united in a common perspective to work in harmony,
In carrying
and eventually transforming our country
Into a haven
of peace and progress and contented life for all.
We ask for
Thy most powerful influence and reconciling spirit
To touch the
hearts of those who are critical of the President
That they
may embrace, once and for all, a culture of healing
For our
common good, as a nation and as a people.
Let the bowels
of Thy divine love flow into the hearts of every citizen
That all may
render support to our beloved President
And that
love, unity, harmony and peace may bind us together
In building a
strong foundation of a great and glorious commonwealth with charity for all.
May Thou
bless and protect the Military and the Police as they support the president
In the
battle against Insurgency, terrorism, drug abuse and criminality,
That lives
may be preserved and peace be once more established,
And provide
healing to our long battered economic landscape.
Grant, O,
Father, that the youth of our land may ever be mindful
Of their
inherent role in the constant renewal of leadership in our national life,
As
envisioned by the president, and infuse upon their vulnerable minds
Personal
discipline and brighter optimism for a glorious future.
May the ever
yearning desire of President Duterte to cleanse our government
From the
lingering cancer of corruption, be accorded Thine rectifying power
That the
government may be washed of corrupt stewards and officials
And the
treasury be filled with resources in greater abundance after a long dry spell.
Rather than
running counter and opposing the government’s honest efforts,
May Thou, O,
Father inspire the religious advocates to instead look for the good things,
And join in
prayer for the president to accomplish his wondrous programs and plans
To establish
a strong government and solid economic foundations for future generations to
benefit.
As Thou
didst protect Elisha’s soldiers from the threats of hundreds of thousands
Of the
Assyrian Army who wanted Israel destroyed, may Thou likewise send Thy “horses
And chariots
of fire round about” our country, and thus help us realize
That, “they
that be with us are more than they that be” with the enemies of the state.
We pray that
as the dawn of 2019 signals the coming of a brighter day, Thou mayest bless the
president with the best of health and physical vigor to sustain him in his most
persistent efforts
To make good
his increasingly intense longings to open bolted doors of opportunities
Upon which
the poor Filipino people may find their way to an abundant life.
Of these
things we pray in humble submission to Thy will,
In the
sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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