CBCP Pastoral Letter Denounces Flood Control Corruption, Calls for Accountability and Renewal
MANILA, SEPT 8, 2025 – The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued a strong pastoral letter on Monday condemning widespread corruption in government flood-control projects, calling it a “flood of corruption” that robs the Filipino people of vital resources and undermines the nation’s future.
Entitled “Beyond Survival: Rising Above the Floods of Corruption”, the letter, signed by CBCP President Pablo Virgilio S. Cardinal David, denounces how systemic anomalies in public works have long drained billions of pesos from national coffers—funds that should have gone to education, health, and social services.
Quoting the prophet Amos, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24), the bishops warned that corruption has reached alarming levels. Investigations in Congress, they noted, lack credibility when the very institutions conducting them are also implicated.
Floods of Corruption
The pastoral letter cited longstanding revelations by public officials, including Sen. Panfilo Lacson and mayors Benjamin Magalong and Vico Sotto, about a system where up to 60% of project funds are siphoned off through layers of “commissions.” Such practices result in poor-quality infrastructure that requires constant repair.
“Shame must be inclusive,” the bishops declared, emphasizing that not only contractors but also legislators, engineers, auditors, and financiers are complicit in the plunder. True justice, they added, demands restitution—returning stolen wealth to the people.
Beyond Survival Politics
The CBCP also warned against a culture of “survival politics” that normalizes corruption through patronage, dynasties, and disinformation. Citing the Gospel of John, the letter urged Filipinos to move beyond mere survival and embrace abundant life rooted in accountability, transparency, and renewal.
The bishops highlighted the need for values formation among the young, stressing that lessons in honesty, fairness, and responsibility must be instilled early. “Such values, instilled in the young, are essential in building a culture that abhors and resists corruption,” the letter read.
Call to Action
The CBCP outlined concrete steps for government, civil society, and the Church itself, including:
•Vigilance against patronage politics and corruption.
•Modeling honesty in daily life.
•Supporting civic and parish initiatives for good governance.
•Demanding independent probes and criminal accountability.
•Promoting transparency and modest living in public and Church institutions.
The bishops also appealed directly to young people, urging them to use their digital platforms not just for outrage but for truth-telling, vigilance, and advocacy. “Make corruption shameful again,” the letter exhorted.
A Prophetic Challenge
Acknowledging the Church’s own shortcomings in addressing corruption, the bishops stressed that renewal must begin within. They called for dioceses and parishes to lead by example in transparency and integrity.
“If floodwaters rise because public funds are stolen, the greater flood is corruption itself, drowning our nation’s future,” the letter concluded, echoing Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”
The CBCP urged the faithful and the wider public to rise together above the “floods of corruption” and rebuild the nation on the foundation of truth, justice, and the common good.
