By Christina Hermoso
Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has called on countries “to redirect their military spending for social needs” as many countries including the Philippines, struggle to cope with the corona virus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) News post, Tagle, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples said, the pandemic highlighted the measly funding allotted to social needs as compared to military spending.
He also called for the “forgiveness of debts” of poor countries so these nations can have more funds to provide for the basic needs of their citizens.
“Now we realize that we don’t have enough masks but there are more than enough bullets,” Tagle said in a streamed mass from Rome, Italy, where he has been based since January.
“We don’t have enough supplies of ventilators, but we have millions of pesos, dollars, or euros spent on one plane that could attack people,” the Church leader said.
The lack of resources could be the tombs of the poor countries and their people today, he said.
The cardinal appealed to rich nations to waive the interest they impose on loans by poor countries “so that they could use their dwindling resources on pressing concerns including education, food, health care, and housing. Forgiveness of debts so that those who are in the tombs of indebtedness could find life,” Tagle said.
“Could we stop wars, please? Could we stop producing weapons, please? Could we get out of the tomb and spend the money for real security?” he said.
Tagle had earlier called for “a rebirth, a resurgence of spirituality, and of mission” as he led the Healing Rosary for the World from Rome recently.
“A review of life or lifestyle so that the Word of God may spread and become contagious through our joy, through our zeal, through our love. As we observe physical distancing, let us not forget the communal caring. That’s what Jesus did, God with us,” Tagle said.