Ex-communist finds purpose-driven cause

First posted 02:33am (Mla time) July 23, 2006
By Blanche Rivera
Inquirer

Editor's Note: Published on page A1 of the July 23, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

HE has come a long way to be almost exactly where he was 30 years ago—a place of mobilization for battle.

Renato P. Constantino, by his account a former cadre of the National United Front Commission of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is now the coordinator of the National Purpose Driven Congress, an event that will launch the Global PEACE Plan to fight poverty, corruption, disease, illiteracy and spiritual emptiness.

The Global PEACE Plan by Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” will be introduced to church workers, political leaders, non-government organizations and concerned individuals in the Philippines during the congress on July 25 and 26 at the Philsports Arena (formerly Ultra) in Pasig City.

This is the first time that Warren, whose book has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, will be in the Philippines after releasing his bestseller.

The Global PEACE Plan is a lay, grassroots-based movement that is aimed at mobilizing the world's 2.3 billion Christians to address the five global ills.

PEACE stands for Plant churches to address spiritual darkness, Equip servant leaders to address corrupt leadership, Assist the poor to address extreme poverty, Care for the sick to address pandemic diseases, and Educate the next generation to address illiteracy and lack of education.

‘Exactly the same’

Constantino is mobilizing around 20,000 people for the congress.

“What you do in the [revolutionary] movement and what you do in the church are exactly the same. The only difference is the cause for which you’re doing it,” he told the Inquirer in an interview.

Constantino joined the CPP in 1977 and started out as a young courier. He climbed up the party ladder to become a full-time cadre during the time when the rebel force was at its peak and organizing the most important mobilizations in Metro Manila, including an infiltration of the crowd during Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1981.

He ended up in detention in Camp Crame in 1988.

“If I could give my life to that calling, why not here where the call is also to mobilize people for a cause?” he said. (Read full story)