The Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) backed Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical, "Magnifica humanitas," which warns against corporate, profit-driven artificial intelligence and labor exploitation.
Pope Leo XIV argued technology is not neutral and profit shouldn't justify cutting jobs, emphasizing that economic systems must remain subordinate to human dignity.
SCMP stated these warnings mirror local crises under the Marcos Jr. administration, citing part-time job prevalence, a 30% college dropout rate, and political disinformation.
WARNINGS against the rise of profit-driven artificial intelligence (AI) and the exploitation of labor in the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV have prompted calls for sweeping local reforms from the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP).
In a statement on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, SCMP welcomed the pontiff’s encyclical, “Magnifica humanitas (Humanity in its grandeur),” which was published on May 25, saying the pontiff’s critique of global economic systems directly reflects the hardships of local workers and students under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Under the current Marcos Jr. administration, about eight out of ten jobs generated are part-time work, the real value of wages is getting far from the nominal value of wages, prices are spiraling upwards, political crises expose selfish interests of politicians, the Philippines remains the riskiest when it comes to disasters, and human rights abuses by the state continue to abound,” the group said.
Shaped by profit
The encyclical argues that artificial intelligence is not neutral, but is instead shaped by corporate entities that prioritize profit over human dignity.
“Technology in and of itself is not a solution to humanity’s problems, just as it is not inherently evil. In practice, however, technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate and use it,” wrote Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from North America.
“We must, then, avoid the ‘Babel syndrome,’ namely the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak, a uniformity that neutralizes differences, and the pretense that a single language — even a digital one — can translate everything, including the mystery of the person, into data and performance,” he added.
SCMP, for its part, said this dynamic is visible in the local context, pointing to the rise of deepfakes and political disinformation. As an example, the group cited a manipulated online photo that falsely suggested a family relationship between Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co of the Kabataan Party-list and former congressman Zaldy Co, one of the personalities linked to flood control controversies.
Challenges in labor sector
The group also linked the pontiff’s defense of labor rights to current economic challenges in the Philippines, where the real value of wages continues to drop. The country has the worst income inequality in Southeast Asia.
Under the current administration, eight out of ten newly generated jobs are part-time positions. SCMP said the government must provide living wages and safe working conditions rather than relying on financial aid, which they described as a source of local corruption.
In the encyclical, Pope Leo XIV delivers a direct warning to corporate entities using AI to rapidly downsize workforces. It states clearly that financial gain can never override the moral responsibility to provide dignified employment.
“The pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs, because the human person is an end, not a means, and the economic order must remain subordinate to human dignity,” the pontiff wrote.
Education concerns
On education, the encyclical warns against an over-reliance on private schooling that shuts out the poor. SCMP said this mirrors the Philippine education crisis, where three out of ten college students drop out of school. The group opposed recent budget cuts to the Department of Education (Deped) and demanded an expansion of public education funding.
The group also said resolving the country’s decades-long civil conflict requires addressing the root causes of poverty instead of relying on military action. They urged the National Government to end red-tagging and political repression to allow grassroots organizations to assist marginalized communities.
SCMP said it hopes Pope Leo XIV will visit the Philippines to see these social realities firsthand. / KAL