Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light.
Luke 12:2–3
Our dear people in government:
The Filipino people are watching closely. After the revelations of massive anomalies in flood control projects, any move to change Senate leadership or redirect investigations now would only heighten public suspicion of a cover-up.
We, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, call on all public officials to uphold the integrity of the ongoing inquiries into the flood control corruption scandal. The Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) was created precisely to restore public trust. It must be empowered to investigate fully and freely, without political interference from any branch of government.
The ICI’s mandate must include:
- Transparency in its proceedings, findings, and recommendations;
- Access to all necessary documents and witnesses, including those protected by political privilege;
- Public disclosure of budget insertions and project allocations, especially those tied to unprogrammed or duplicate DPWH projects;
- Protection for whistleblowers and technical personnel who come forward in good faith.
We strongly oppose any attempt to pre-empt or derail the investigation through backroom deals, leadership takeovers, or selective justice. A nation cannot heal when its moral arteries are clogged by corruption and self-interest.
This is a defining moment for public accountability. We urge both Congress and Malacañang to prove that they serve the common good, not partisan power. Let the truth flow freely. Let the ICI do its work — thoroughly, transparently, and without fear or favor.
No to a whitewash. Yes to full accountability.
Only through truth can our nation begin to rebuild trust and ensure that flood control no longer becomes another flood of corruption.
Today, we also invite you to a NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AND PUBLIC REPENTANCE (Ecumenical version)
Leader:
Let us pray. (Pause for silence) Lord God, our Shepherd, hear the cry of Your people in the Philippines as we walk in the valley of darkness.
We come before You today, humbled and broken, like a stray sheep that has fallen from the cliff, clinging desperately to a brittle branch, crying out for rescue.
All:
Save us, Lord, for we are sinking!
Leader:
Like the psalmist, we feel ourselves sinking in the mire (Ps 69:2), overwhelmed by the floods of corruption, as Jeremiah once sank into the mud of the cistern (Jer 38:6).
We confess to You, O Lord, with contrite and humbled hearts, as Baruch once prayed:
“We have sinned against the Lord, we have been disobedient, and we have not listened to His voice.” (Bar 1:18–19)
How pitiful our situation has become:
Thieves boast of their wealth; they flaunt their luxury cars, their jewelry worth millions, and their lavish banquets that cost as much as a laborer’s wages for years.
And we too, O God, through our small or great failures, have contributed to the spread of darkness:
- by giving bribes to fixers or traffic enforcers,
- by accepting and spreading lies and fake news,
- by receiving donations from plunderers and oppressors,
- by remaining silent in the face of injustice for the sake of comfort.
Forgive us, Lord, for allowing evil to reign in our society.
All:
Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your steadfast love! (Ps 51:1)
Leader:
We are submerged, Lord, in calamities—floods, earthquakes, fires, typhoons.
But worse are the wounds we inflict upon ourselves:
scandalous budget insertions that deprived the poor of funds for health care, education, and welfare;
substandard infrastructure that robs us of genuine progress;
political dynasties that act like new feudal lords,
keeping our people poor and dependent on dole-outs—
a rich nation drowning in taxes, yet kept poor by a politics of patronage.
All:
“If my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will heal their land” (2 Chr 7:14). Heal our land, O Lord!
Leader:
You have told us, O Lord, what is good and what You ask of us: “to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You” (Mic 6:8).
We have failed, but we will not lose hope. For You, Lord, have not created us for corruption but for goodness;
You have redeemed us and clothed us in a new humanity in Christ (Gal 2:20; Eph 4:24).
All:
Come, Holy Spirit, renew the face of the earth, renew the heart of our nation! (Ps 104:30)
Leader:
Breathe into us courage to rise above greed and power,
and awaken in us care, empathy, compassion, and unconditional love.
Let the survival of the weakest, not just the strongest, be the mark of our humanity.
Empower us to build a Philippines where truth, justice, and mercy prevail.
All:
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, save us.
Spirit, renew us.
We entrust our beloved country into Your hands.
Amen.
For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines:
+PABLO VIRGILIO S. CARDINAL DAVID
Bishop of Kalookan
CBCP President
