PGMA's Speech during the Special Prayer Rally on the SARS Crisis (Nation's call for Sacred Assembly)

Malacanang Grounds (02 May 2003)
MARAMING SALAMAT PO, SECRETARY ROMULO.

MARAMING SALAMAT PO, BISHOP EDDIE VILLANUEVA; MARAMING SALAMAT, MANOLET DAYRIT, ROY GOLEZ, ED MANDA, DIDI DOMINGO, MILT ALINGOD; MARAMING SALAMAT, BBISHOP EÑIGUEZ; MARAMING SALAMAT, BISHOP MAGBANUA; MARAMING SALAMAT BISHOP TINDERO; MARAMING SALAMAT, BROTHER DAN BALAIS; MGA KAPATID; MGA KAPWA PILIPINO, MARAMING SALAMAT SA INYONG PAGBUO NITONG NAPAPANAHONG PANAWAGAN PARA SA SAGRADONG PAGPUPULONG; MARAMING SALAMAT SA INYONG NAPAKA AKTIBONG PARTISIPASYON SA KAMPANYA NG GOBYERNO KONTRA SA BANTA NG SARS.

NAGBISITA PO KAMI NI MANOLET DAYRIT KANINA SA BARANGAY VACANTE SA ALCALA, PANGASINAN KANINA. NAGPAPASALAMAT TAYO SA PANGINOON DAHIL ANG BARANGAY VACANTE AY LIBRE NA SA SARS. NAGPUNTA KAMI NI MANOLET SA BARANGAY VACANTE PARA MAGPASALAMAT SA TAUMBARANGAY SA KANILANG DIWA AT SAKRIPISYO AT PASENSIYA. ANG SAKRIPISYO NG MGA PILIPINO MAGING DITO SA PILIPINAS AT SA IBAYONG DAGAT AY MGA ISTORYA NG ATING PINAKA-NAPAPAMAHAL NA ASAL. THEY ARE THERE FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD.

SI ADELA CATALON AT ANG KANYANG AMA AY NAMATAY SA YAKAP NG MATINDING PAGMAMAHAL SA PAMAMAGITAN NG ISANG AMA AT ISANG ANAK. HINDI BA GANUN ANG PAGMAMAHAL NI HESUKRISTO SA ATING AMANG DIYOS.

NGAYON, MERON NAMAN TAYONG JP, ANG TAGA-ALAGA NA KINAILANGAN IBIGAY ANG KANYANG BUHAY SA SINGAPORE HABANG NAGLILINGKOD SA MGA KAPUWA TAO. HINDI BA GANUN SI HESUS KRISTO NA NAGBIGAY NG KANYANG BUHAY PARA TAYO AY MABUHAY SA PANGINOON.

IPAUBAYA NATIN SA PANGINOON 'YUNG MGA NAMAMATAY SA SARS SA IBAYONG DAGAT NA KINAKAILANGAN UMUWI BILANG ABO. 'YUNG MGA NAMATAY AY MGA HALIMBAWA NG MATAHIMIK NA PAGKABAYANI SA KANILANG PAMILYA AT KAANAK AT SA MGA IBA PANG SA MGA DAYUHANG LUPA NA PINAGLILINGKURAN NILA.

PURIHIN NATIN ANG PANGINOON DAHIL MAKABAYANI ANG ATING MAMAMAYAN. MAKABAYANI SILA KUNG SAAN NARARAPAT AT PURIHIN NATIN ANG PANGINOON AT HINGIIN NATIN NA ITULOY NA IPAIRAL ANG ATING SAMA-SAMANG PAG-ALERTO GAYA NG MGA DASAL NA GINAWA NG ATING MGA ELDERS KANINA.

AT GUSTO KONG MAGPASALAMAT SA PANGINOON DAHIL ANG SARS BAGAMA'T ISANG SAKUNA AY NAGLIKHA RIN NG ISANG KAHANGA-HANGANG PAGKAKAISA SA ATING SAMBAYANAN SA LIKOD NG ATING PAMAHALAAN. GLORY BE TO GOD!

AKO, BILANG PANGULO NA GAYA NG SABI NI BISHOP EDDIE NA ISANG PANGULONG KRISTIYANONG BUKAS ANG LOOB SA PANGINOON, PINAPAUBAYA KO ANG ATING BANSA SA PAG-ALAGA NG PANGINOON.

BIGYAN NIYO AKO NG PANALANGIN DIN NA ITULOY KO NA PARATI AKONG SUSUNOD SA PANGINOON KUNG SAAN NIYA AKO DINADALA, UMAABOT SA LAMPAS NG ATING BANSA, HUMAHANAP NG TULONG SA MGA DAYUHANG LIDER HABANG NAKIKIPAG-USAP SA PINAKAMAKUMBABANG PILIPINO SA SARILING BAYAN. BIGYAN HO NIYO AKO NG DASAL NA BIGYAN AKO NG PANGINOON NG GRASYA NA GAWIN ANG LAHAT NG UTOS NG PANGINOON SA AKIN PARA IKALAP ANG ATING MGA ENERHIYA AT KAKAYAHAN SA PALIGID NG ISANG LAYUNIN NA MANALO ANG ATING BANSA -- THE PEOPLE OF GOD SA LABAN NA ITO.

SA GITNA NG LAHAT NITO, NANANALANGIN AKO, MANALANGIN TAYO SA PANGINOON NA LINAWIN ANG LAHAT NG DIWA NG LAHAT NG TAUMBAYAN, PARA BUONG TAUMBAYAN, BUONG SAMBAYANAN AY MAGBIGAY NG BUONG KOOPERASYON SAAN MAN SILA.

MGA KAPATID SA PANGINOON, HUWAG TAYONG MAG-ALALA, ANG PANGINOON AY LAGING KATABI NATIN.

MY PRAYER, MY PRESIDENTIAL PRAYER IS BASED FROM PSALM 144 VERSES 12 TO 15. A BEAUTIFUL SUMMARY OF GOD'S GLORIOUS PROGRAM AND VISION FOR EVERY NATION AND SURELY FOR OUR BELOVED COUNTRY. MAY I READ FROM THE NEW LIVING TRANSLATION AND THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION:

VERSE 12: "MAY OUR SONS FLOURISH IN THEIR YOUTH LIKE WELL-NURTURED PLANTS; MAY OUR DAUGHTERS BE LIKE GRACEFUL PILLARS CURB TO ADORN A PALACE." MGA KAPATID, THIS SPEAKS CLEARLY OF A VISION OF HAPPY, STRONG FAMILIES, AND IF I MAY ADD, SARS-FREE FAMILIES.

VERSE 13: "MAY OUR FARMS BE FILLED WITH CROPS OF EVERY KIND; MAY THE FLOCKS IN OUR FIELDS MULTIPLY BY THE THOUSANDS EVEN TENS OF THOUSANDS; AND MAY OUR OXEN BE LOADED WITH PRODUCE." HINDI NGA BA ITO, PEOPLE OF GOD? ISN'T THIS VERSE A CLEAR PICTURE OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY WHICH OUR PEOPLE ALL LONG TO ENJOY?

VERSE 14B: "MAY THERE BE NO BREACHING OF WALLS, NO FORCED EXILES, NO CRY OF DISTRESS IN OUR STREETS." ITO, MGA KAPATID SA PANGINOON, THIS SPEAKS OF SOCIAL PEACE AND PUBLIC JUSTICE.

VERSE 15: "BLESSED ARE THE PEOPLE OF WHOM THIS IS TRUE; BLESSED ARE THE PEOPLE WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD." THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL THAT WE DREAM AND LONG FOR OUR BELOVED PHILIPPINES. A FULL COMMITMENT TO GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. WITHOUT HIS HELP, WE CAN NEVER MAKE IT.

COMMUNITY OF THE LORD, LET US PRAY:

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, AS PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES, I COME BEFORE YOUR PRESENCE IN BEHALF OF OUR BELOVED PEOPLE. I PRAISE YOUR NAME FOR YOU ALONE OF ALL WISDOM AND POWER, HONORING GLORY BELONGS ONLY TO YOU. YOU DETERMINE THE COURSE OF WORLD EVENTS. YOU CONTROL THE DESTINIES OF NATIONS. IT IS YOU WHO CHANGES TIMES AND SEASONS, WHO SETS RULERS AND AUTHORITIES AND ALSO REMOVES THEM ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL.

I ACKNOWLEDGE WITH THANKSGIVING YOUR GLORIOUS PLAN FOR OUR BELOVED PHILIPPINES. I AGREE THAT INDEED ACCORDING TO YOUR WORDS OF PROPHECY, THE PHILIPPINES WILL BECOME A STRONG REPUBLIC, A PROSPEROUS NATION THAT YOU WILL USE TO BLESS OTHER NATIONS. BUT LORD, WE KNOW THAT YOUR DESTINY FOR US WILL ONLY BE FULFILLED IF WE AS A PEOPLE TOTALLY COMMIT OUR LIVES TO YOU, REPENT AND TURN AWAY FROM OUR SINFUL WAYS AND ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LORDSHIP OVER OUR NATION.

SO EVEN NOW, IN BEHALF OF OUR PEOPLE, I ASK YOUR FORGIVENESS FOR ALL OUR SINS. FORGIVE US FOR OUR DISOBEDIENCE TO YOUR LAWS AND COMMAND, FOR THE SINS OF IDOLATRY IN ALL FORMS, FOR CORRUPTION ESPECIALLY IN GOVERNMENT, FOR GREED AND DECEIT ESPECIALLY IN THE BUSINESS REALM, FOR REBELLION THAT HAS BRED VIOLENCE, FOR OUR DISUNITY, DIVISIONS AND SELFISHNESS, FOR LACK OF STRONG WILL TO ENFORCE OUR OWN LAWS, WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR; FOR MARGINALIZING THE POOR AND DEPRIVING THEM OF JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER THEIR LOT; FOR PORNOGRAPHY, MARITAL INFIDELITIES AND MORAL PERMISSIVENESS. LORD HEAR, LORD FORGIVE, LORD ACT.

NOW AS PRESIDENT, I SOLEMNLY OFFER INTO YOUR HANDS OUR BELOVED PHILIPPINES THAT MAY WE BECOME THE BLESSED NATION YOU DESIRE FOR US TO BE. I PRAY THAT YOU ESTABLISH YOUR LORDSHIP AND AUTHORITY OVER EVERY FILIPINO CITIZEN AND EVERY FILIPINO FAMILY. THAT EVERY HOME WILL BE THE CENTER OF LOVE, HARMONY, STRENGTH AND FORMATION OF BIBLICAL VALUES -- THE BASIC UNIT FOR A STRONG REPUBLIC.

I PRAY THAT YOU SPARE OUR PEOPLE FROM THE SARS PLAGUE AND OTHER DISEASES, AND THAT YOU CONTINUALLY COVER US WITH THE REDEEMING BLOOD OF JESUS. WE CLAIM THE HEALING GRACE OF JESUS FOR OUR PEOPLE FOR YOU SAID THAT BY HIS WOUNDS WE WERE HEALED.

I PRAY THAT YOU ESTABLISH YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, INTEGRITY AND FEAR OF GOD OVER EVERY BRANCH, DEPARTMENT AND OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT, WE CAST AWAY THE SPIRIT OF CORRUPTION, DISHONESTY, INJUSTICE AND OTHER FORMS OF IMMORALITY THAT HAVE PLAGUED US FOR SO LONG.

I ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO EXPOSE ALL ANOMALIES, GRAFTS AND SCANDALS. I PRAY THAT YOU INTERVENE SUPERNATURALLY FOR A LASTING CLIMATE OF PEACE AND ORDER TO REIGN UPON US ESPECIALLY IN MINDANAO. I CAST AWAY THE SPIRIT OF VIOLENCE AND LAWLESSNESS THAT HAS BRED KIDNAPPINGS AND OTHER CRIMES.

I PRAY THAT YOU RELEASE A MIRACLE FAVOR UPON OUR ECONOMY, FOR THE CONTINUOUS GROWTH OF BUSINESSES, ENTRY OF GOOD INVESTORS, MORE ENTREPRENEURS, MORE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, MULTIPLIED PRODUCTION IN THE AGRICULTURAL AND MANUFACTURING SECTORS THAT WILL FUEL THE ENGINES OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. WE CLAIM YOUR PROMISE THAT IF WE OBEY YOU YOU WILL BLESSED US AND GIVE US AN ABUNDANCE OF ALL THINGS. WE WILL NO LONGER BORROW BUT LEND. WE WILL BE THE HEAD NOT THE TAIL. HELP US LORD TO MAKE JESUS CHRIST THE LORD THE FOUNDATION OF ALL AREAS OF OUR LIVES, OUR CONDUCT AND THAT IN ALL OUR WAYS, WE ACKNOWLEDGE HIM. EVEN NOW, I THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWERS TO THESE PRAYERS.

THANK YOU FOR PROSPERITY, HEALTH AND VICTORY FOR OUR PEOPLE. THANK YOU FOR STRENGTH AND UNITY. THANK YOU FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE.

I DECLARE THE PHILIPPINES A STRONG REPUBLIC THAT BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST AND TO JESUS CHRIST ALONE.

JESUS IS LORD OVER THE PHILIPPINES. AMEN AND AMEN AND AMEN.

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