EDITORIAL – Back to work

The bickering and backstabbing are unlikely to stop, but politicians at least might get some work done now that religious leaders are calling for a ceasefire. In an unprecedented joint statement the other day, the Iglesia ni Cristo and El Shaddai charismatic group said political bickering "has been hurting our nation so much." The two groups said it was time for politicians to set aside their personal interests and "immediately attend to their duty of alleviating the sufferings of the Filipino people for which they were put into office."

Unlike the local Catholic Church, whose official statements are openly challenged even by some of its own bishops and priests, the INC speaks with one voice, and so does El Shaddai. Both groups are known to vote as a bloc and therefore wield considerable political clout. Will politicians heed the call of the two influential groups?

The bickering will continue, but perhaps there will be greater focus now on politicians engaged in opportunistic opposition, who exploit legitimate national concerns chiefly to project themselves and their personal agenda. The INC and El Shaddai leaders said they decided to speak up out of concern for their members and the rest of the population, most of whom belong "to the lower bracket of the socio-economic strata" and are worried about the impact of protracted political instability on the economy.

The concern is shared by many Filipinos. The search for truth and justice in the current political crisis must continue, but it must not overwhelm national efforts to survive in an increasingly competitive global arena. Life is hard enough in this country, and the sight of politicians preening for TV cameras, their pettiness on full display, can only aggravate national despair.

Other groups whose voices matter should echo the joint appeal of the INC and El Shaddai. National reconciliation is a pipe dream, but civility is possible in political disagreements. Politicians can destroy each other, but they should not destroy the nation along with them. There is much work to do, and the nation does not have the luxury of sitting back and enjoying the distraction of political sideshows.