ALAY KAPWA began as a Lenten action program of the Church aimed to create awareness among the faithful of their great responsibility to contribute in the transformation of society by narrowing the great divide between the have and the have-nots.
Conceived in 1975 by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the project was launched to respond to the pressing needs of the time. A few years into the dictatorship, the volatile socio-economic and political situation had not contributed at all in alleviating the miserable condition of the country’s poor.
Lenten fund program
It was in this setting that the Catholic hierarchy issued a pastoral letter calling for a national renewal among Filipinos. The concept of Alay Kapwa Lenten program was introduced in that pastoral statement[1] explaining the motivation for its establishment.
The bishops in their letter pointed out the dismal state of the impoverished saying that for about 70% of the country’s population, poverty has become a way of life with an average Filipino receiving a per capita income of P3 a day. In the same pastoral letter the bishops also called on Filipinos “to analyze the root causes of misery—not only in terms of socio-economic, political and religious structures that may be causing, or maintaining, these injustices.”
The 1975 pastoral letter reminds that: “For this reason, our Lenten Action Program has been called: ALAY KAPWA—offering to our neighbor. It asks us to look around and identify our neighbor. Who are the people who most need our help? From this awareness we are asked to reflect on the reasons for this. Why are they poor, lonely, homeless, jobless, hungry, in rags, beggars, squatters?”
The concept is not original to the Philippines though. Other western countries have also their own Lenten fund campaign, the primary purpose of which is to collect funds that will eventually be used for a sustainable aid to the poor. The practice is deeply rooted on the biblical and Christian tradition of prayer, almsgiving and fasting which Christians are encouraged to practice during season of Lent. Money saved from abstaining on buying non-essential things are then donated to the Lenten fund campaign of the Church.
In a bid to renew national enthusiasm, the bishops deliberated during their 36th Plenary Assembly held in 1978 strategic ways to popularize the Lenten action program. It was also during this assembly that a sharing scheme on the AK collections was voted upon; 60 percent will go to the diocese, 20 percent to the regional office, and 10 percent to the national office.[2] This sharing scheme, however, will be modified in the plenary assembly of 1998. During the 77th assembly in July 1998, a new AK sharing scheme was introduced: 20 percent immediately goes to the relief and rehabilitation program of the diocese; and of the remaining 80 percent, 60 percent will go to the Diocesan Social Action Center and 40 percent (of the 80 percent) will be for the CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (NASSA).[3]
Alay Kapwa Sunday
The Philippine Church celebrates Alay Kapwa Sunday on Palm Sunday. During this time, the faithful are encouraged to support AK programs through financial contributions. The significance of Alay Kapwa is further stressed through catechesis and education, drumbeating the moral responsibility of every Christian to share their resources to the less privileged.
The implementation of Alay Kapwa was entrusted to the Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace (ECSA, JP), the social action arm of the CBCP. From the original idea of a Lenten campaign for funds, another facet—that of evangelization—had been added to Alay Kapwa without undermining its original purpose. During its 35th Plenary Assembly, the Bishops’ Conference explained the additional function:
“While we promote Alay Kapwa as an evangelization program focused on justice and love according to various levels, we should aim at achieving the original purpose of the program which is the building up of self-reliant systems for disaster and human development.”[4]
AK Fund campaign
Alay Kapwa challenges every Filipino to share something with the poor and take up the moral responsibility of helping transform society into a civilization morally steeped in charity, justice, truth, love and solidarity.
In its 2008 Annual Report, NASSA stated that AK campaign of 2007 collected more than P3.1 million from various sources—arch/dioceses, national collection of Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres (SPC), Metro Manila Catholic Schools and individual donors.
But the same report also noted a substantial decrease in collection as compared in previous years. The decline in collection was attributed to the Pondo ng Pinoy initiative which has basically the same goals as AK.[5]
Aside from funding various relief and rehabilitation programs of different dioceses, contributions to AK fund campaign are also used to support other social action initiatives on peace advocacy, democratic governance, ecology, sustainable agriculture, children’s rights, disaster management, and other development concerns.
Thematic themes
As a Lenten evangelization program, Alay Kapwa has taken on various social themes that reflected the concerns of the times since it was first created. The thematic annual program provided the faithful a guide in the implementation of Alay Kapwa evangelization project in the different dioceses.
The current theme, Citizenship building and solidarity towards a culture of Peace and Integrity of Creation, challenges each Filipino to reach out and link hands in the promotion of peace and protection of the environment.
Towards a culture of peace
The situation of unpeace in Mindanao, made more complicated with the MOA-AD fiasco in August of 2008 has remain a challenge especially among Christians and Muslims who are deeply committed in the work of attaining a peaceful solution to Mindanao conflict. The spate of kidnappings of Christians by lawless elements has made the effort to address the issue even more problematic.
Another problem in the attainment of peace is the continuing counter-insurgency operations of the government against the NPA rebels. With the Macapagal-Arroyo government’s determination to contain the communist movement by 2010, it would mean a continuous military offensive in areas where there is a concentration of NPA and Muslim rebels.
Human rights violations are also rampant in the country. This alone makes the attainment of peace impossible.
Environmental protection
Environmental protection is also another concern in the face of unabated ecological destruction that is happening around us. Illegal logging has denuded our forests. This has led to massive destruction of properties and loss of lives. Unrestrained mining activities have poisoned bodies of water and left soil barren. These irresponsible activities by multinational corporations sanctioned by the government have brought not only ecological imbalance but also health problems among the people.
These realities call for a united stand among the people. The poor who have no resources are the usual victims caught in the middle of the crossfire. They are the ones who suffer the brunt of nature caused by ecological destruction.
The Spirit of Alay Kapwa
Alay Kapwa has not only taken root but has grown and expanded through the years both in understanding and implementation.
The spirit of Alay Kapwa, which is sharing of self in love, is very much alive in those who have responded to the call of the Church to make a difference in the life of the country’s millions of poor families.
Nonetheless, despite the greater awareness Alay kapwa has generated among the faithful in the past 32 years of its existence, still a lot of work has to be done in the area of social transformation.
The reality of poverty and hunger, injustices and violence, suffering and sickness, among other social concerns are still very much valid today as they were years ago.
The spirit of Alay Kapwa can never be more real in the current situation of the country today. Each Filipino is called to offer and share something to the other in need. But sharing does not only involved giving money to the Lenten program. In Alay Kapwa, everyone is also called to share his/her time, talent and treasure.
The attainment of a culture of peace will not become a reality unless everyone contribute and puts in his/her widow’s mite. The same goes in the preservation of environment. Indeed, this is now the time to reach out and connect with others especially with our less privileged brothers and sisters.
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[1]Lenten Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on Alay Kapwa 1975.
[2]CBCP Decisions on Alay Kapwa – 36-11; 36th Bishops’ Plenary Assembly – January 1978, page 11; [taken from Selective Analytical Index 1945-2005]
[3]CBCP Decisions on Alay Kapwa – 77-19; 77th Bishops’ Plenary Assembly – July 1998, page 19; [taken from Selective Analytical Index 1945-2005]
[4]CBCP Decisions on Alay Kapwa - 35-15; 35th Bishops’ Plenary Assembly – July 1977, page 15; [taken from Selective Analytical Index 1945-2005]
[5]NASSA 2008 Annual Report, pp. 47-48.
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