THE coming year of 2017 will be a momentous year for the political and moral landscape of the planet. There is a rising tide of political and moral challenges facing humanity.
Pope Francis will continue his historical reforms of the Church and the Curia, bringing back the Gospel values and true evangelization. He will continue challenging the world to work and cooperate for peace, justice and freedom. He will promote daily the Gospel message of truth, honesty, compassion, mercy and the spirit and values of human rights and the dignity of every individual and community.
The American president Donald Trump and his extreme right wing views are contradicting the liberal, compassionate, and more diplomatic approach of President Barack Obama. The New Year will likely be dominated by controversial issues.
After Donald Trump takes office in January 20, 2017, a strict immigration policy will be implemented. It will have a huge impact on undocumented residents of the United States, affecting all nationalities – Mexicans, Filipinos, Irish and British, just to mention a few who are in the United States undocumented.
Trump will slow the inflow of immigrants and stop accepting refugees. He will accelerate the deportation of all those without legal documentation to be in the US. This will cause the break-up of families, separating children who are citizens from their parents and relatives who are not legal immigrants. Human suffering will follow.
Filipinos will find it harder to get a tourist visa or any kind of visa to visit friends and relatives in the United States. This is because of the change of foreign policy of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, away from the United States in favor of China and Russia. The requirement of the US immigration not to have supported in any form whatsoever the extrajudicial killings will challenge visa applicants.
This may upset a lot of Filipinos. The US immigration department is becoming strict on the screening of Filipinos especially those who are applying for a visa whether they are in the Philippines or any other country. If a visa applicant has supported the extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration, they will have to comply with the requirements of the Torture Victims Protection Act.
2017 could be the start of four years of contentious issues. Even if Trump backs away from his more outlandish and provocative campaign rhetoric, yet his threats to withdraw from treaties like the Paris’ climate change agreement will also dominate the New Year.
For all of us, 2017 is a challenge with the rise of the right-political groups that advocate exclusion and nationalism. This will be countered by the awakening of the broader population to its dangers to democracy, yet it will take a few years for it to fade from the political scene as the refugee challenge continues.
We hope and pray for 2017 to see the strengthening of the dignity of the people, an end to killings of suspects, the reign of justice and peace and respect for the rights of children.
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