What if Cardinal Tagle becomes Pope?

A recent report published by a Philippine based news organization identified Cardinal Tagle as one of only two papabile who would serve as a good pope in terms of dealing proactively with the child sex abuse currently dogging the church for the last 10 years or so. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) identified Cardinal Tagle, together with Vienna Archbishop Christoph Schonborn as "most promising candidates."

While such assessment is initially flattering, especially as a Filipino patriot and nationalist, this has far-reaching implication for the Philippines if in fact Cardinal Tagle becomes a pope. A scenario that would not be impossible for example would be a scaling back of many progressive initiatives in the Philippines, among which is the recently enacted into law The Reproductive and Healthcare Law of 2012. The Catholic Church in the Philippines is still powerful as it is, and a Filipino pope in the Vatican would enable the Catholic Church in the Philippines to substantially bully and hold the necks of Filipino politicians. The government would then become merely a lacky of the Vatican, subject to its whims and caprices and potentially inhibiting progressive reforms that are already the talk of Philippine intellectual circles.

A Tagle papacy would also be a blow to LGBT and women's rights, secularization of Filipino society and independence of the Philippine government from the suffocating and resolute conservatism of the Catholic Church. It goes without saying therefore that a Tagle papacy would be a blow to a more secular, liberal and progressive Philippines. In fact, the Philippines could be set back another 30 years, considering that Cardinal Tagle is only in his early fifties.