Social Injustice: Chapter 1 Context

• Chapter 1 discusses the experience of social injustice.

Contemporary International and Local Context: Lights and Shadows

• Society is constantly bombarded by news via social media, which allows instant information sharing and public discussion, also brings awareness to issues like corruption and injustice.
• The country has managed to settle significant foreign debt and maintain an investment-grade credit rating.
• Economic growth is becoming more inclusive.
• 1.4 million net jobs have been created.
• Poverty incidence has dropped from 25.2% in 2012 to 21.6% in 2015.
• Government initiatives like AmBisyonNatin 2040 and the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 aim for long-term growth.
• 2017 saw positive global economic growth, led by India and China.
• There is rising awareness of gender and racial equality worldwide.
• The Paris Agreement (2016) signifies international commitment to mitigating climate change.
• Economic growth benefits are not evenly distributed; Issues in the Philippines include:
  • Airport scams (laglag-bala)
  • Slow land redistribution for farmers
  • Ongoing peace talks with rebel groups
  • Corruption and political division
• Existing healthcare and education reforms are inadequate, resulting in:
  • Poor maternal and morality rates and malnutrition
  • Insufficient or inadequate school infrastructure and teacher training

Global Political Climate

• The rise of nationalism and protectionism is evident through:
  • Brexit (UK leaving the European Union)
  • "American First" policies in the U.S.
  • Increasing authoritarian governance
• Ongoing refugee crises in Syria and Africa remain unresolved.

Public Response and Social Action

• Widespread activism is present through protests, political lobbying, and NGO efforts for reform.
• Awareness of injustice (poverty, corruption, sexism) emerges by comparing it with ideals (equality, fair wages, transparency), compelling people to seek change.

A Faith That is Both Personal and Social

• The Catholic faith calls for active work toward justice, requiring an understanding of societal issues' complexity, history, and interconnectedness.
• The church must collaborate with other disciplines to address these issues effectively.

Analyzing the Contemporary Context

• Filipino Cultural Traits (Strengths):

  • Pakikipagkapwa-Tao (regards to others)
  • Family Orientation
  • Flexibility, Adaptability, and Creativity
  • Hard-work and Industry
  • Faith and Religiosity

• Filipino Cultural Traits (Weaknesses):

  • Extreme Personalism
  • Extreme Family-Centeredness
  • Passivity and Lack of Initiative
  • Colonial Mentality
  • Kanya-Kanya Syndrome
  • Lack of Self-Analysis and Self-Reflection

Social Institutions: Education & Healthcare

• The Philippines has high literacy rates, but education quality and affordability are issues.
• A mismatch between degrees and job opportunities contributes to underemployment.
• Healthcare accessibility is available, but suffers from underfunding, overcrowding, and a lack of preventive care.

Gender

• The Philippines leads Asia in gender equality but faces economic participation gaps.
• The October 2013 Labor Force Survey indicates that four in seven unpaid family workers are women, and three in ten underemployed people are women.
• Machismo culture enforces traditional gender roles, contributing to inequality, abuse, and rape culture.

Economic Aspect: Philippine Business and Economics

• The Philippine economy has seen consistent growth (GDP >6% for nine quarters as of 2017).
• Tickle-down economics remains debated, with poverty rates still high (21.6% in 2015).
• Farmers, fishermen, women, and children are most vulnerable to poverty.
• Budget priorities focus on infrastructure and education but differ from inefficiencies and corruption.

Political Aspect: Governance

• Corruption remains widespread, from bribery to misuse of public funds.
• The Philippines scored 34/100 in the 2017 Transparency International Index (0 = highly corrupt).
• Patronage politics and rent-seeking behaviors hinder fair governance and resource distribution.

Theological Perspective

• The church interprets social issues through the Gospel and Catholic teachings.
• Sin is not just personal but also social, rooted in systematic injustice.
• Addressing social sin requires a shift in culture values and governance.
• Chapter 2 discusses structures of sin and grace within Catholic social thought.

Sin: Personal and Social

• Personal Sin is individual wrongdoing, a choice to turn away from God
• Social Sin is injustice embedded in systems and institutions.
• Social sin is not caused by one person but by collective participation.
• Social sin results from a willful rejection of God and neighbor.
• Examples of social sin include corrupt government structures and economic policies that exploit the poor.
• Discrimination and systemic oppression are also forms of sin.

Social Sin and Structures of Sin

• Social sin happens at different levels:
  • Dehumanizing trends and patterns of behavior in socio-economic and political institutions
  • Stereotypes and myths that justify injustices
  • Distorted values and beliefs
  • Action that sustains these structures
• Social Sin is particularly detrimental because it affects relationships among people and their relationship with God.
• Sociologists describe this process as externalization, objectivation, and internalization.

Charity, Justice, and Structures of Grace

• There are two ways to respond to social sin:
  • Charity (Short-term): Direct aid includes food, shelter, and donations. It addresses immediate needs through individual acts of kindness to effects.
  • Justice (Long-term): Advocating for systemic reforms that tackle the root causes of injustices. This involves collective action for structural change, directed at the roots.
• Charity helps with immediate suffering, but justice prevents future suffering.
• Catholic organizations and their social work aim to purify and transform structures of sin into structures of solidarity through the creation or modification of laws, market regulations, and judicial systems.
• Creating "networks of charity" and strengthening “networks of solidarity" is of the upmost importance.

Structure of Grace

• Structures of Grace are social systems that promote human dignity and justice, encouraging good rather than sinful choices.
• Structures of Grace promotes ethical governance and foster economic equality.

Chapter 1 explores the experience of social injustice in a contemporary international and local context. It highlights how social media drives awareness of corruption and injustice. The country has settled foreign debt, maintained its credit rating, and reduced poverty, but challenges remain in the distribution of economic benefits.