PRESIDENT Duterte yesterday prayed that Filipinos be more thankful and continue to have faith in one another and stand united to work hard for a brighter and more prosperous future.
In his Easter Sunday message, Duterte said the Resurrection of Jesus Christ gives everyone hope and courage to never falter no matter how overwhelming the odds seemingly are.
Duterte said throughout the challenges faced by Filipinos over the past few years, “we remain strong and resilient because we hold firm to the promise of salvation as professed by Jesus Christ.”
“May this occasion give us much reason to thank the Almighty and have faith–in each other and in the Lord–so that we may stand brave and united in our journey as a people.
Let us be hopeful of better days ahead even as we continue to work hard for the brighter and more prosperous future that we aspire for ourselves and for future generations,” he added.
The President spent Good Friday and Black Saturday visiting communities affected by tropical depression “Agaton” in Leyte and Capiz.
Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles Brown rejected the continued spread of fake news and false information, saying everyone must always speak of the truth.
In his homily during Easter Sunday, Brown said everyone must say only the truth every time they speak, as taught by Jesus Christ.
“We need to be people of truth. We need to speak the truth. We need to be beware of fake news, falsehoods, distortions, manipulations. We need to celebrate the feast with sincerity and truth,” said Brown.
“Everything said should be true. We need to love the truth. We need to speak the truth,” he added.
The papal envoy, though, added that he is not saying that all truthful things need to be stated publicly.
“There are certain things that are true that we are not able to say. What do we call them?
We call them secrets,” he said, adding those unable to state the truth should cease from speaking publicly.
“If we cannot speak what is true, we have to remain silent,” said Brown. — With Gerard Naval
