Another relevant social principle of the Church concerning current issues faced by Philippine political leaders at the national, regional, and local levels is the universal destination of goods. The Pope writes: “God meant the goods of the earth for all. Private property is a right, but its use and regulation must keep this key principle in mind. The goods of life—land, lodging, and labor—should be made available to all. This is not merely altruism or goodwill; it is what love demands. The early Church fathers made it clear that giving to the poor is simply returning to them what is theirs, for God intended the goods of the earth for everyone, without exclusion.”
Far from supporting a Communist manifesto that denies the right to private property and free enterprise, the universal destination of goods is underpinned by the principle of subsidiarity. This principle states that the common good of society is best safeguarded when individuals, families, and small groups can achieve what they can effectively and efficiently, rather than having these responsibilities taken over by higher authorities—especially an all-powerful State. Subsidiarity emphasizes that individuals, families, and small groups should have the right to own a portion of the world's goods; otherwise, they risk becoming dependent on a powerful, absolutist State.
The Pope specifically mentions “land, lodging, and labor.” For example, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), enacted during President Cory Aquino's administration, was a step in the right direction. It violated the principle of universal destination when a few individuals or institutions, especially friars, monopolized ownership of thousands of hectares of land. Fragmenting agricultural land into parcels of two or three hectares for small farmers was not problematic. What went wrong was the Philippine State's failure to provide agrarian reform beneficiaries with essential infrastructure—farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, post-harvest facilities, agricultural extension services, credit, and other necessary inputs. This failure contrasts sharply with the success stories of countries like Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, which implemented agrarian reform programs and provided the needed support to small farmers.
Moving forward, we must assist the millions of small farmers growing rice, corn, vegetables, and livestock, where small-scale farming can be reasonably profitable with existing technology. The most critical assistance lies in providing these farmers with necessary infrastructure—roads, irrigation, post-harvest facilities—to help them earn a decent living. Civil society can play a vital role by organizing farmers' cooperatives, credit unions, and skills training programs. However, it is essential for everyone to recognize that these efforts primarily aim at poverty reduction. Helping small farmers achieve decent livelihoods can reduce poverty to single-digit levels, but it will not guarantee food security. Only large-scale commercial farming, leveraging modern technology—including digitalization—can secure food stability. This may require consolidating millions of hectares of small farms through cooperatives, adopting the nucleus estate model perfected by Malaysia in palm oil and rubber plantations, and converting denuded forests into commercial farms for high-value crops like coffee, cacao, mangoes, avocados, bamboo, durian, and pili nuts. Through these approaches, small farmers need not relinquish ownership of their land.
The Pope also speaks of the principle of solidarity, which complements subsidiarity. He writes: “Solidarity acknowledges our interconnectedness: we are creatures in relationship, with duties toward each other, and all are called to participate in society. That means welcoming the stranger, forgiving debts, giving homes to the disabled, and embracing others' dreams and hopes for a better life as our own.” Since we are interconnected, we must consider how our actions affect others, ensuring we do no harm and contribute positively to their well-being. In business, for instance, entrepreneurs should ensure their pursuit of profit considers the welfare of all stakeholders, particularly consumers, employees and their families, the environment, and the public through legitimate taxes.
The Pope reminds us that subsidiarity prevents the distortion of solidarity, which involves recognizing and respecting others' autonomy as subjects of their own destiny. We cannot be condescending to the poor; they are not merely objects of our good intentions but active participants in their own change. We must work with the poor, not for them, and avoid providing only handouts. Once they reach a minimum standard of comfort through donations, they should be encouraged to take initiative in uplifting themselves from poverty.
Additionally, the Pope emphasizes the right to decent housing. Just as the government has a duty to provide free basic education (K to 12), it must ensure every family has access to housing. The Philippine government is falling short of its goal to build one million housing units annually to address the backlog. After public education and health, public housing should be a priority in the annual budget. It is unnecessary to provide the poorest with housing units they can own; leasing units at minimal rents would suffice. As public transport improves, these housing projects can be developed outside Metro Manila, in less urbanized areas of Southern and Central Luzon. Building socialized housing units in the heart of Metro Manila, as some officials propose, is unrealistic. Vertical housing for the poor has proven ineffective, as seen in the settlements constructed near railway stations during martial law. Living in condominium units requires a level of discipline and cultural adaptation that many poor families lack, often through no fault of their own.
To be continued.