Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Taytay has called on Filipinos to resist the normalization of corruption, warning that it continues to destroy society and put people’s lives at risk.
In a pastoral letter, the chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Office on Stewardship stressed that corruption can never be justified.
“We must not accept corruption as the norm — it is stealing the people’s taxes,” Bishop Pabillo said.
The prelate noted that government funds should be directed to hospitals, decent roads, clean water, and electricity. Instead, he said, these basic services remain lacking because of the misuse of resources and politicking.
During pastoral visits to remote communities in Northern Palawan, Pabillo said he personally witnessed villages left without adequate facilities and denied proper government attention.
He warned that governance will remain flawed if officials secure their positions through vote-buying. He also condemned the so-called SOP, or “Standard Operating Procedure,” in government projects and programs, describing it as “a clear act of evil.”
Pabillo further pointed to the dangers of political dynasties, which he said aggravate systemic corruption. “If we want to reduce corruption, we must stop voting for relatives in power,” he said.
The bishop cited the Trillion Peso March held on September 21 as proof of public unity against graft. “The country will change if corruption ends — leaders must be held accountable,” he added.
His message comes as Congress investigates multibillion-peso ghost and substandard flood-control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), along with billions of pesos in alleged insertions by lawmakers in the national budget.
