Give dignity to the poor – anti-poverty advocate

Empower people, says Tony Meloto

By CELIA PAZ DE CASTRO
Special to the WCR
Edmonton

Those who limit their concerns to their own families should learn to reach out to the poor, says an advocate for the poor in the Philippines.

Tony Meloto told an Edmonton audience that many Filipinos have a tendency to limit their concerns to their immediate family.

"Poverty is a failure in discipleship," Meloto said. "We all need to desire and work towards eradicating poverty in the Philippines.

"Many poor Filipinos have endured too much injustice and suffering for so long already. We build a desert out of abundance," he told more than 100 people recently at St. Joseph Basilica.

Corruption, poverty

"It is a shame that the Philippines, despite being the only Christian country in the Far East, happens to be also the most corrupt. We have not liberated our country of poverty and corruption. We should do something to be faithful stewards of our beautiful country."

Meloto became well known through his pioneering work for Gawad Kalinga (GK), a Philippine-based anti-poverty movement. He was the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Service in Manila, Philippines.

Gawad Kalinga means Giving Care. But Meloto said GK could also stand for God's kingdom.

Journey of faith

"Gawad Kalinga is about building relationships with communities," Meloto said. "It is about empowerment of the people. It is a journey of faith and a pilgrimage of hope. It will continually be a work-in-progress.

"GK is part of the solution of eradicating poverty. It is a proof of greatness of the spirit," he said. "In GK, the focus is the Source (Jesus) of our lives. It is about loving the people that Jesus loves the most - the poor."

Meloto spoke about the GK 777 Project that began in 2003 in the Philippines with the aim of building 700,000 homes in 7,000 communities in seven years.

With the grace of God, prayers, sacrifices and the cooperation of many individuals and groups, it can happen, he said.

It is easy to forget about the plight of the poor when one is living a comfortable life, Meloto said. How can the rich who have never experienced poverty empathize with the poor when the poor, themselves, often forget what it's like being poor just because their status in life has improved?

"Success doesn't mean anything if the Philippines remains a poor Third World country," he said. "We have to restore dignity in our poor people. We have to rise above our biases and judgmental attitude. We need to help everyone regardless of who they are.

"Practise more Christ-like ways and talk less," he exhorted.

GK is a pillar of the organization Couples for Christ and most of those who attended Meloto's talk belong to that organization.

But now, Meloto said, it has become "a pillar of every Christian organization, as well - to be owned by everyone. It is of the Lord, not of personalities. It is about looking at the heart and not the pocket.

"It is about focusing on the wealth of ideas and making partnership with others in building communities for the people of God. It is about re-building a nation by the faith of the people. Religion is not an opium, but a fuel of growth and development," he said.

More information about GK is available at these websites - www.gawadkalinga.org or www.ancopcanada.org - or by calling the CFC office at (780) 447-0900.

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