Designer’s Dilemma

Image Courtesy of Philippine Daily Inquirer

Today’s headline on Philippine Daily Inquirer - Pagcor to spend $15-B on Bagong Nayong Pilipino Project to be located by Manila Bay. The Philippine Gaming Corporation estimates this project to generate 250,000 jobs, and boost tourist arrivals to over three billion annually.

Pagcor chair Efraim Genuino says “we will follow Las Vegas”. Personally, I think this is one of the best news I’ve read in years, but as much as I am excited for this project, there’s something wrong everytime I look at this photo from Inquirer… The Bishops!!!

What the heck is the church doing at this ceremony?? If you read further, the three are actually former bishops - so why are they in the picture? Probably because the project revolves around the concept of gambling, a topic that’s not very popular with the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines Group, who seem to have a say about everything that goes within the government.

Former Bishop Emeritus Maximiano Cruz, one of the Bishops present in the ceremony, commented in support of the project that the role of the Church should be “to shepherd its flock” and “not to compete with the state in governing.” - one of the better statements coming from a religious leader.

Bottom-line here is the country would be at a better position if we were to all simply do our jobs, that includes the church as well, as Bishop Cruz said, let the governing body worry about issues that concern the country and matters as such.

Now if we can only do something about corruption…

Filed under: Politics on April 5th, 2008