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It was the year when the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam erupted: a massive scheme involving high government officials who allegedly colluded with suspected mastermind Napoles to divert public money through fake non-governmental organizations.
The unfolding saga also revealed the wealth and luxurious lifestyles of those implicated in the scam, angering Filipinos – a good percentage of whom still consider themselves poor.
These political controversies and corruption allegations are what some netizens want Pope Francis to see, when he makes his first visit to the Philippines this week.
In Rappler’s #ShowThePope crowd sourcing campaign, netizen Eli Zar retweeted a photo posted by Chino Gaston.
The photo showed a billboard with Pope Francis’ face and the words “Welcome to Tacloban City.” The names of the city’s local politicians were written below.
In his retweet, Eli Zar wrote, “Don’t #ShowThePope [the] politician-sponsored billboard welcoming Pope in Tacloban.”
DON’T #ShowThePope @rapplerdotcom
RT @chinogaston: Politician sponsored billboard welcoming Pope in Tacloban pic.twitter.com/1JALIBymcb"
— Eli Zar (@ely1300) January 12, 2015Netizen @siocnarfgc said the Pope should be made aware of politicians and government officials with luxurious lifestyles.
@rapplerdotcom #ShowThePope SLUM documentary Binay,Tanda,Pogi,Sexy,Napoles, nd politicians govt officials wealth & luxurious lifestyles
— ocsicnarF selaznoG (@siocnarfgc) December 23, 2014Meanwhile, Gregg Ceballos added, “Why don’t we #ShowThePope the real Philippines with its corruption and poverty #HuwagPlastic #HuwagMapagpanggap.”
For netizen Karl Angelo, the mismanagement goes beyond the hallowed political halls and into the streets. He tweeted this photo of the chaotic Metro Manila transport system. (READ: Commuters speak up on MRT/LRT #farehike)
“I want to #showthepope how fun morning commute is in Manila,” he wrote.
I want to #showthepope how fun morning commute is in Manila. (photo not mine) pic.twitter.com/KfWQspNTq1
— Karl Angelo (@karlvidal) December 22, 2014Hailed as the People’s Pope, Francis is known for his pro-poor advocacy and exhortations against lavish lifestyles.
He has repeatedly criticized a culture of waste, attacking an economy of “exclusion and inequality.”
“How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case of exclusion. Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown away while people are starving? This is a case of inequality,” he wrote in the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium.
He has also highlighted the role of political leaders in the struggle to achieve the common good.
“Politics, though often denigrated, remains a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good,” he wrote.
“It is vital that government leaders and financial leaders take heed and broaden their horizons, working to ensure that all citizens have dignified work, education and healthcare. Why not turn to God and ask him to inspire their plans?” Francis added.
What about you? What do you want to #ShowThePope?
Tweet us your photos using this hashtag, and we’ll include your entries in a gallery that we’ll send to the Vatican. We’ll also feature the best entries in our stories. – Rappler.com
Join Rappler in a 100-day countdown to Pope Francis’ visit to the Philippines: a journey from the Vatican to Tacloban. Tweet us your thoughts using the hashtag #PopeFrancisPH!
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