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RP bishop tells Filipinos to take church’s counsel
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Posted on Mar 16 1999
Visiting Filipino Bishop Ted Bacani is asking Filipinos in the CNMI to seek out counsel from the church particularly in times of emotional problems.
“Saipan is very much unlike other places. Here, priest are accessible,” he said in an interview.
This is the first time the bishop has set foot on Saipan and he expressed satisfaction on the way Filipino workers are being accommodated by the host government.
“I see that things are better for overseas Filipino contract workers here. They seem to be better protected by law. They also get a reasonably good income compared from what they would get from our country,” he said during his visit to the Philippine Consulate yesterday.
However, he would still advise Filipinos to stay home, especially those with families already.
The bishop is not a stranger to the potential domestic problems that will result from the separation.
“When people get lonely, they seek consolation form other people, from other partners. They will not only develop relationships but they build second families abroad and this makes it difficult for all parties concerned,” he said.
He would also discourage Filipino women from working in a foreign land particularly in the Middle East. Abuses are documented and they are easy prey of such dangers.
“I’ve seen that the Filipino here are quite happy and I can see that the church is very concerned with their welfare. In fact, it feels like you are in the Philippines when you’re in Saipan,” he said.
