Big "S"

Upon advice of his friends from the religious sector, Mayor Eduardo B. Gadiano have decided to add letter “S” to his Social Contract called the HEART-PO which stands Health and Housing, Education, Environment, Employment, Economic Development, Agriculture and Fishery Development, Reforms and Reduction of Poverty, Tourism and Peace and Order. So, starting today, it will be called HEARTS-PO. This is his second term in office but nowhere in his social contract or program of government concretely deals with Spirituality, Culture and Morality. And that’s why this Big “S” came into the picture. The Municipality’s Vision states, ”Sulong Sablayeño, maunlad at payapang bayan, may saganang likas na yaman at nagkakaisang mamamayang nananalig sa Dakilang Lumikha”.  The two concluding words of course refers to a belief in transcendence force that is present within, a truth that guides in our struggle with life as a community where people’s diverse culture are unified and dwindling moral values recovered.

Is “Spirituality” exclusively for religious and church entities and matters not in governance or public service? The answer is a big “No” according to experts and theologians. For instance in his book “Vital Spiritualities’, Gerald Broccolo wrote, “Spirituality involves a way of viewing and experiencing God, self, others and the world.”  It goes without saying that spirituality includes every dimension of human life. True enough, our spirituality, as expressed by the good mayor’s spiritual confidantes, colors the way we look at everything – from ourselves to others, specially the needy,- from God to governance. It must be expressed in the decisions we make as a people and public servants, whether in the executive or legislative branch. Indeed, spirituality plays a very important role in the dimensions of the municipality’s social contract and banner programs.

Though distinct theoretically, moral recovery can be attached at this moment with spirituality. During the term of President Fidel V. Ramos in 1996, he signed the Executive Order No. 319 calling for the institutionalization of the Moral Recovery Program in all government agencies, departments and all government-owned and controlled corporations through the establishment of MRP Officers and Integrity Circles. Mayor Ed is rooting for a stable and morally-upright citizenry that serves as a pillar of a strong and progressive society and this would make the program an indispensable component in attaining social development.

I believe that pursuing and achieving such objective is certainly delightful to God. Without His most needed protection and aid, we cannot survive in this sinful world. Little by little, this often neglected dimension in government service, the Big “S”, is taken into great account in local governance in this part of Occidental Mindoro.

And sometimes, we also go for other spirits. Those kept inside a bottle and poured into our ice-laced glasses…

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(Photo: LGU-Sablayan File. Taken at the CAPDEV-ELA Formulation; July 21-27, 2013 in Batangas)