Gov’t urged to heal biases against poor

MANILA, Philippines - Aside from passing the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said the government should push efforts toward healing the prejudices and biases committed at the grassroots level.

This was what Tagle said during an interview with CNN’s chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour.

Tagle told Amanpour that in a conversation with a government official, they agreed that signing the BBL is one thing but everyone must work to heal the prejudices and biases among ordinary people.

On speculations that Islamic militant groups would try to harm Pope Francis during his visit, Tagle gave assurance that everyone wants the papal visit to be meaningful and safe.

“We do not want to jump to the conclusion that these acts of terrorism are always associated with Islam,” Tagle said.

He said he has many Muslim friends who assured him that acts of terror are not part of their religion.

“I believe them. We have a lot of peace loving people and they cry when their religion is misused.”

Tagle said he is contented with the security preparations being undertaken by the Aquino government, including the Philip- pine National Police, the Armed Forces and ordinary citizens, for the pope’s visit. He expressed hope that the five-day visit would inspire the pope.

He said the pope comes at a time when the country is still trying to rise from the devastation brought by the recent calamities and disasters.

Advice to shapers of government

In his welcome statement for Pope Francis, Tagle said the Filipinos are waiting to hear the pope’s advice to the “shapers of government.”

“We await the call of the pope to the shapers of government, culture and the economy to return to love as the supreme law that must shape their policies and programs. We await the Holy Father to encourage all efforts to forge peace, especially in parts of Mindanao, and to promote goodwill among peoples of different religions,” Tagle said in his speech titled “Welcoming the Successor of Peter to the Philippines.”

He said Pope Francis is hoping that he would not be the center of his five-day visit to the country, but that it would focus on the theme “Mercy and Compassion.”