Archbishop Soc calls on Dagupan pols: “Love the opposition”
LINGAYEN-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas called on the new set of elected officials in Dagupan City during their oath-taking ceremony Friday to “love the opposition”.
Villegas told city leaders led by the new mayor, Belen Fernandez, “to make your heart bigger”.
“Love the opposition. Love those who say no to our proposal, those who make it difficult for us,” he said, and advised Fernandez to win her enemies by making them her friends.
Political rivalry was intense during the campaign for the 2013 mid-term elections, marked by a series of black propaganda and mudslinging.
The new vice mayor, Marc Brian Lim, who is succeeding Fernandez, is the son of the outgoing Mayor Benjamin Lim who lost to Fernandez.
Villegas said while there should be separation between the church and state, “there should not be separation between God and man”.
“A government without God is a burden to the people, a thorn on the side of the people,” he said.
He added that “godless politics causes too much pain”.
Villegas also noted that today politics is seen as dirty “but politics can only be dirty according to people who run it”.
He also urged the news set of elected city leaders to love the poor and give them dignity and respect as well to take good care of the youth whom he said are the country’s present, not future.–Eva Visperas
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
