Ateneo de Davao University

College of Law

Christian Ethics
1 – Manresa

Submitted by:

Syed Omar Almendras Sayre

Submitted to:
Laudato Si: The Pope’s encyclical on the environment and poverty

Laudato Si in its essentiality is a calling to the humanity that addresses both

environmental challenges and the eminent societal poverty that is rampant all over the
world, combining both of which that reflects the same spiritual illness that we are facing
today. The letter is framed as an integrated systems perspective on the material and
spiritual challenges, and the need for spiritual solutions. This is the most challenging
encyclical of Pope Francis because it calls for a radical change that brings the salvation
in perspective to environmental changes of our common home. In the encyclical, the Pope
says, “our goal is not to amass information or to satisfy curiosity, but rather to become
painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal
suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it.” He’s prying and seeking
for a change in the way we perceived things and do things.

To heed to the calling of the Pope that we take and reflect the aspiration of the
teachings in Passion of Christ and extend this experience with great meditation on the
pains of creation and the the pains of the poor. In connection with all of this, to put my
personal experience with the Ateneo and Jesuit teachings into extremities. One of which
is Cura Personalis that honed us ateneo students to take care and be concern for the
whole person. The Ateneo sees its student’s in their totality and nurtures each one
holistically, and being men and women for others. The Ateneo has been striving to imbue
its students with love for and service to others. In connection to the pertinent issues in
Laudato Si, I have reflected that as an Atenean, the teachings of the Jesuit should not be
practice in its exclusivity rather going beyond the horizon of key social injustices and
environmental adeptly concerns.

It can be depicted in the encyclical of the Pope that it is not only for the Catholic
Church but a calling to all religious congregation, Pope Francis cited a ninth century
mystical Muslim Poet Ali-al Khawas who stresses that “ we not put too much distance
between creatures of the world and the interior experience of God. The universe unfolds
in God, who fills it completely. Hence there is a mystical meaning to be found in a leaf, in
a mount trail, in dewdrop, in poor person’s face.” The calling of the Passion of Christ that
we hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. The message of Laudato Si is
the Earth Crucified- God’s creation abandon and only selfless love can heal the wounds.

A. Climate Problems of Mindanao

Laudato Si, the papal document on climate change released last June 18, 2015,
back then I could remember how strong the cry of the masses were especially the
indigenous people and other ethnic tribe here in Minadanao. The encyclical calling of the
Pope encourages the people to react and address to the challenges of protecting our
common home, the earth. The talk on Laudato Si conducted in Ateneo de Davao
University ignited conversations to the public since the environmental issues affects
everyone.

Our school has been a strong advocate in protecting the environment and to weigh
the detrimental effects brought by industrial factories, mining activities and development
due to economic progression. The Ateneo University President Father Joel Tabora S.J.
said, “Pope Francis points to the urgency of the environmental realities that need to be
addressed not only from the viewpoint of the physical and biological science but also from
our professional training and interest.”

As part of the University’s mission and community engagement efforts, Father

Tabora said, “we engage vigorously in environmental protection as it is inseparable from
the promotion of faith that does justice, cultural sensitivity and interreligious dialogue.”

According to Father Daniel McNamara SJ, an astrogeophysicist, rector of the

Davao Jesuit Community, coordinator of the Environmental Science Program of the
Ateneo University and one of the current Board Directors of the Manila Observatory.
“Human beings, as part of the world, have the duty to cultivate their abilities in order to
protect it (environment).” He stated that Mindanao could utilize solar and hydroelectric
power as a source of energy, however, contrary to it, he said that there is also an irony in
this as there is no enough water supply in reservoirs because of global warming.
 Consequentially, Mindanao environmental advocate Sr. Stella Matutina, of
Panalipdan Southern Mindanao, relating to the situation in UCCP Haran, said “ang mga
lumad ang nanalipud sa kinaiyahan,” (The lumads are the protector of nature).
“They have the organic intelligence, and we cannot separate them from their lands,” she
added.

It is evidently true that we cannot seclude the marginalised people especially the
ethnic groups living in Mindanao whose livelihood and ancestral domain has been
compromised because of this industrial progression. Thus, we the agent of change, us
law students, has the obligation to protect this under privilege sectors by attending to their
legal concerns and fighting for their right through being the voice of this minority.

B. National Level

In the Philippine setting Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle urged the public
to protect nature from greed that contributes to climate change. In this aspect the
greediness and self-interest of a person with respect to economic activities has always
toppled down environmental concern. This is manifestly seen in Industrial plants, open-pit
mining, sea oil extraction and burning of fossil fuel using coal power plants. This situation
does not only happen in the Mindanao Region but it is being done throughout the
Philippines. Due to this business activities, owners of this big companies tend to
compromise the nature, living creatures and homes of the ethnic tribes this is all driven
because of profit. During the celebration of the mass of Archbishop Tagle, he said, “Our
celebration of the Earth Day and the Divine Mercy Sunday this weekend offers a well-
timed opportunity for all of us to gather together and manifest our unity to protect God’s
creation from acts of apathy, heartlessness, and greed that contribute to climate change
and harm human life and dignity.” He stressed the importance of the observance, noting
that Earth Day coincides with the historic Paris climate agreement's entry into force for the
country. "Incidentally, our gathering falls on the day when the Paris Agreement on Climate
Change, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, will enter into force
for the Philippines. This makes our celebration even more historic and timely," Archbishop
Tagle said. The climate deal took effect 30 days after the country submitted its "Instrument
of Accession" to the United Nations (UN) Treaty Section.

The view of the government; President Rodrigo Duterte earlier signed the document in his
misgivings. Duterte initially expressed qualms about ratifying the deal, saying any
commitment to cut down on carbon emissions unfairly restrains developing countries like
the Philippines from growing their economies. "Caring for the Earth is breaking free from
fossil fuels, the use of highly polluting fossil fuels – especially coal, but also oil and, to a
lesser degree, gas – needs to be progressively replaced without delay," Jakosalem said,
quoting Laudato Si. Coal-fired power plants, which spew greenhouse gases, one of the
primary culprits of climate change, remain the Philippines' largest energy source at 29%.

C. International Level

Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment Laudato Si’ has won many hearts, as
it speaks to the world of the realities of today, both in the context of environment and social
justice. He reminds us consistently to draw in those who are in the margins, those who
are excluded into the core of the discussions and the discourse on the environment and
economics. For Pope Francis, the global environment and human environment either
improve or deteriorate together.

Pope Francis offers another vision of the interconnectedness of all life and our
shared identity. Acknowledging that many have previously spoken and written similarly on
the topic, the encyclical is replete with quotations and passages from his predecessors
and previous bishops’ conferences all over the world. The consultations he undertook with
the scientific community and global leaders in business, economics, development
agencies, and other key sectors in development, provide the rigor and credibility when he
explains the impact of the changing climate and how the planetary boundaries that we
need to keep in check for a safe operating space for humanity are being surpassed largely
through human activity. At the same time, there is a stern disappointment on the
ineffectiveness of international climate change talks and the ineffectual outcomes.

What is truly refreshing in reading this lengthy document is the earnestness with
which he genuinely tries to communicate to almost everybody and anybody who can read
and has gone through a college education. That is his reading audience and that group is
his target for action. He provides space for almost everybody in this encyclical, whatever
profession or line of work and interest. It is almost an inclusive document except for those
who will remain unmoved and arrogant.

Care, compassion, and mercy must assume an active passion, not passiveness.
Pope Francis outlines the approaches and actions to respond effectively to this ecological
crisis, providing a very practical list of questions that need to be asked to discern if what
we are doing is contributing to genuine integral development. “What will it accomplish?
Why? When? Where? How? For whom? What are the risks? What are the costs? Who
will pay those costs and how?” This set of questions can be a universal guide for anything
we wish to do, even in our daily lives.

The term integral ecology, perhaps unfamiliar to many, best describes the internal
conversion Pope Francis seeks in all of us so that we can bring about the change we need
in the world around us and the reconciliation with our neighbors, with ourselves, and with
God. We are the answers to our questions and the solutions to our problems.

Laudato Si’ therefore calls to those of us in the Asia Pacific region, home to 4.2
billion people which is nearly 60% of the entire global population. Of this, 717 million are
young people aged 15 to 24 years old, which is also around 60% of the world’s youth who
reckon with obstacles to access sustainable livelihoods due to education, employment,
and health care challenges (UNESCAP 2014).

As Jesuit institutions working in the various apostolates, we need to identify and

locate where current efforts are responding and the gaps that remain. We must identify
the capacities needed so that the social and environmental responses are efficiently
undertaken. We must understand better the communities in the margins and the social
exclusion that is in place so that our actions are more meaningful and with greater impact.
We are greatly challenged in the Asia Pacific region and Laudato Si’ must be translated
into effective action if this encyclical is to have any meaning and value.