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Chito Sawit, University of Santo Tomas, PhilippinesAbstract
Marking the milestone of "500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines," this study presents a multidisciplinary missiological analysis of the Catholic laity’s role in environmental stewardship. Utilizing the Reality, Reflection, and Response (RRR) framework, the research investigates the intersection of religious identity and ecological ethics through a survey of 35,874 lay respondents. The Reality phase reveals a significant tension in engagement: while respondents demonstrate a robust commitment to individual "best practices" (4.6 weighted mean), readiness dips regarding systemic issues like dam construction and mining (4.0 weighted mean). Furthermore, a structural paradox emerges: 95.9% of the laity seek guidance from Church teachings, yet 59.3% resist clerical involvement in political spheres. In the Reflection phase, these findings are framed within the Laudato Si’ theme of Integral Ecology. The data shows the laity already mirrors this theological link, strongly agreeing (4.6 weighted mean) that climate action is an essential component of upholding the sacredness of human life and dignity. Finally, the Response phase proposes the missionary paradigm of "Vigilant Presence." This paradigm serves as an action-oriented call to bridge the gap between individualized piety and systemic advocacy. By evolving five centuries of tradition into a vigilant, collective presence, the Filipino laity can move beyond localized habits toward a transformative, multidisciplinary response to global sustainability challenges.
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