A light from the Synod of the Diocese of Kalibo

The Synod of the Diocese of Kalibo decreed that anybody who have responsibility in the church parish structures need to resign when he runs for public office. This is the guiding light when the administration of a formative school in the Diocese of Kalibo recommended to one of its formandees not to run for public office like the SK. (SK is a part of a govermental body in the Philippines, part the smallest unity of which is called barangays) Against its advices, however and beyond of limited knowledge of the administration, he nevertheless ran and won. This shows that there is a leadership capacity and a desire among the youth of his locality for a reform since, accordingly, they choose him because of his affiliation to the said institution. However, his decision was in effect, a disregard to the advices of the administration of this institution, an act which just could come from a miscomprehension of the situation. This is understandable.

To help him better serve the youth of the locality and to make him more free to perform his duties, the institution recommended that he will continue to a school of his choice. Its clear that since he ran for office of service, he needs all the possibility and help to implement that good desire. However, he wanted to stay and continue the formative process which in the light of the Synod necessarily requires resignation from his office. In a sense the synod gave an either-or situation: either to resign from the elected office and continue his role in the church, or to resign from his obligation in the church and continue to serve his elected office. (This was the same light which was used when Fr. Panlilio ran for office – he has to be suspended from his ministry).

It was agreed that he will instead just make a leave of absence after his oath of office so that his formative process will not go uninterrupted by the obligations of his new office. It was nice that the renumeration which he could have received from the same office, (if there is any), would go, as he intended well, to the projects of Missionaries of Charity in the same diocese.

We believe that this is a win-win situation since our formandee is a graduating one and he greatly desires to be with our community. After his graduation, as the case maybe, he could continue to serve the youth in his community who have loved and chosen him.

We will continue to encourage the youth, when they are prepared to serve other youth, in freedom and authenticy for the future of Aklan. We will continue impart good Christian values to these young people who needs good witnesses from the part of our government leaders for good governance. We will continue to do it in the best lights of the Synod of the Diocese of Kalibo while respecting particular situations of the persons involved for the good of all.