People from all walks of life – farmers, businessmen, young professionals, students, street vendors, members of the judiciary, public school teachers, policemen, factory workers, prosecutors, journalists, etc -- joined Monday’s launching of the Moral Force Movement (MFM).

Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno, MFM convenor, rallied all the participants to act as the moral force in the transformation of the Philippine society that, he said, is buried in the quagmire of graft and corruption, poverty, and other social ills.

Puno said “it is social movements, not political movements, that can serve as the best engines to change our society now putrefied by politics where power is put above principle, a society ran to the ground by an economy infested by greed.”

He urged those who attended the launching at the Far Eastern University (FEU) auditorium on Nicanor Reyes St. (the former Morayta St.), Manila, to start the moral transformation “within ourselves” because “the moral transformation of our nation is the concern of everybody.”

“The MFM recognizes the need to change and the change that counts is the change of ourselves – change based on realization that we have oftentimes faulted others for our problems when we ourselves have defaulted in our fight for our moral virtues and principles,” the Chief Justice said.

In an interview after the launching, Puno said the MFM is not a political group that would endorse a candidate in the May, 2010 presidential, congressional, local elections.

He pointed out that the MFM is a social movement that would enlist the support of everyone to restore morality in government for a just and humane society “that has been shattered by stubborn structural injustices and encumbered by the greed of a few.”

In his speech, Puno explained that the MFM recognizes two major points – the root of the country’s problems is moral in nature and the need to develop transformational leaders to lead in the revival of moral virtues and ethical principles.

On moral decadence, Puno said “a study of the rise and fall of major empires throughout history will buttress the truth that if the mightiest and most prosperous of empires collapsed, it was because of the weight of their moral deficit.”

He said the Roman Empire collapsed when its leaders started to believe they were descendants of God, when they began to treat the people as their properties, and when public offices were sold to highest bidders.

“Over time, the moral decay caused internal conflicts and strifes among the Roman leaders and the once powerful empire became a bastion of chaos and receded from the centerstage of history,” he said.

He also said the fall of the great and imperial Ming Dynasty could also be attributed to moral decadence of its leaders corrupted by absolute power.

Transformational leaders, according to Puno, “have walked the world and let us be guided by them.”

He cited the efforts of Pope John Paul II, “who led the Polish people from serfdom to freedom;” Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi “whose practice of civil disobedience brought down the British rule in India;” Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. “who challenged the immoral laws of segregation by insisting
that the blacks have the inherent and inalienable right to be equal with the whites;” Nelson Mandela “who brought down the impregnable apartheid regime of South Africa;” and President Corazon C. Aquino “who taught it is not the love of power but the power of love that secures the thrones of leaders.”

“The leaderships of these legendary figures were effective, empowering, and ethical. They were effective because they directed their reforms on the need for moral revival. They were empowering because they removed the blindfold on the eyes of their people and inspired them to change society.

They were ethical because they prevailed over their opponents without aping their immoral ways,” Puno said.

The Chief Justice called on all Filipinos to join the fight against moral decadence.

Palace respects formation of Moral Force Movement

Malacañang said Monday it respects the formation of a Moral Force movement by Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said the administration or executive branch of the government, will not interfere with the affairs of the judiciary, which, he claimed, is an independent co-equal branch of government.

The new organization, created by Puno sought to guide the people in choosing “transformational leaders” in the 2010 national elections. It aims to solve the country’s moral decay and respond to the need to elect leaders who transcend self-interest for the common good.

“We are not even thinking of the actions or movements of the judiciary because they’re very independent. We’re just focused on the actions and movements of the executive,” Golez said when asked to comment on Puno’s movement to entice voters to elect transformational leaders.

Golez said Puno has been an advocate of moral renewal a long time ago, “so I don’t see any difference between the launch and what he thinks is representing.”

On Puno’s alleged claims that controversies hounding the Arroyo administration will cause its downfall, Golez said: “He has said this a long time ago, and we respect his opinion.” (Genalyn Kabiling)