An estimated 10,000 students and members of the Catholic community in Bacolod City attended the simultaneous masses for truth and accountability yesterday morning in eight city schools while around 100 vehicles joined the motorcade from the Capitol Lagoon to the Bacolod City Public Plaza, with a noise barrage capping the activity in the afternoon.

Students and teachers packed the San Sebastian Cathedral and the venues at the University of St. La Salle, St. John’s Institute, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, Colegio de San Agustin, St. Rose of Lima, West Negros University, and Riverside College where the masses where held, Bacolod Social Action Center director, Fr. Aniceto Buenafe, said. 

In the mass at the Santuario de La Salle, Bishop Vicente Navarra called on the young laity of the Catholic church to take part in searching for the truth on present political issues, particularly on the ZTE-National Broadband Network controversy.

In his 20-minute homily, Navarra encouraged college and high school students to get interested and be involved in the search for the truth amid the blatant lies of the present administration.

“Don’t ever believe that this problem only affects Manila…that is wrong. Don’t be deceived by the propaganda of local governments that praise the Arroyo government to the high heavens to cover its anomalies,” Navarra warned.

Around 1,000 students and teachers from the University of St. La Salle, St. Scholastica’s Academy, and St. Joseph School-La Salle attended the mass capped by the singing of “Power of Your Love.”

“Don’t ever be contented and secure because you can enroll in private schools. Don’t be contented because you can eat three full meals a day… Don’t be secure because you can go to parties…,” Navarra said, “Because mark my word, if these (things) continue, the privileges you enjoy now will be lost.”

Instead of just watching at the sidelines, Navarra said, he hopes the youth will be inspired by Rodolfo Lozada Jr.’s courage in telling about the alleged anomalies covering the broadband deal and join the actions to manifest righteous indignation.

He also called on those students who may be from families of politicians to be apostles of goodwill by calling the attention of their kin who are involved in illegal practices.

Some of the students, however, gave mixed replies to Navarra’s call and on the things that they know about the aborted international project.

“I believe what Lozada says is true…but maybe he just came out because the money promised to him was not given,” Michel Adam, a student of the USLS Integrated School, said.

Danielle Dingcong, another USLS-IS student, said on the other hand, that Lozada’s statements have given young people like her a broader view of the controversy.

At the St. Nicolas de Tolentino church in UNO-R, Fr. Felix Pasquin spoke about the sin against stealing and lying that are prevalent in the government.

Pasquin encouraged the faithful to join in the search for the truth, transparency and justice amidst the tension that presently grips the Philippine society.

Prayers of the faithful during the masses focused on pleas for government leaders to be responsible for all their actions and to take side with the truth.

Meanwhile, the church-led mobilization will continue until the government heeds the call of the people for renewal, transparency, and eradication of graft and corruption, Navarra said.

He said the active response of Negrenses during the motorcade and noise barrage manifested their frustration with the present leadership.

It also showed that a flicker of hope is starting to burn again in the hearts of the people who are crying out for change, Navarra said.

On the other hand, BAYAN-Negros yesterday denounced the corruption scandal in the government and its spiraling effect on the lives of the Filipinos, especially the youth.

In a statement, BAYAN claimed that the ZTE “kickback” could have covered almost 62 percent of the P8.4-billion total cost of the estimated 2008 resource gaps of the Department of Education, which include classrooms, seats, teachers, principals, and textbooks.*PP/NAB

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