In a powerful move that resonated with churchgoers, priests across the Diocese of Tagbilaran last Sunday set aside their homilies. Instead, they read aloud a pastoral letter from Diocesan Administrator Msgr. Jingboy Saco Jr., directly linking the severe flooding plaguing communities to corruption in multi-billion peso flood control projects.
A Timely Warning Amidst Relentless Rains
The letter's release was acutely timed, coinciding with a series of heavy downpours and severe weather conditions affecting the country. The document pointedly observes that in the Philippines, intense rain inevitably leads to devastating floods, an epidemic of suffering that spares no one, rich or poor. However, it notes the stark disparity in recovery, where the wealthy bounce back faster while the poor struggle to rise from the ruin.
The core accusation is stark: instead of being used for their intended purpose, funds for critical flood mitigation infrastructure have been pocketed by corrupt congressmen, contractors, and other leaders. This embezzlement has left the population vulnerable and exposed to nature's fury. The letter laments that due to this greed, people are plunged into misery and danger, with lives and livelihoods washed away by floods that should have been prevented.
Floods as a Painful Reminder of Greed
The pastoral reflection suggests the relentless cycle of rain and flood seems almost deliberate—a force preventing the people from forgetting the massive betrayal by their corrupt leaders. It poignantly states that perhaps the Almighty knows human memory is short, and thus allows the floods to continue as a stark, unforgettable reminder of the nation's moral decay.
Adding to the injustice, the letter contrasts the protection often afforded to the powerful who stole billions with the swift imprisonment of the poor who might steal out of hunger. It mourns the apparent disappearance of social justice—the principle that "those who have less in life should have more in law."
A Call for Repentance and Action
The letter was met with deep reflection by the congregation. It serves as a urgent call not just to the citizenry, but directly to the responsible leaders. It is an appeal to stop these wicked practices, to repent, and to begin performing righteous and good deeds.
However, a heavy question hangs in the air: after hearing this call, will it penetrate the hearts of those in power? Will they begin to change their crooked ways? The faithful are left wondering if divine intervention will now descend to transform mindsets, finally ending the people's suffering fueled by ongoing corruption and the theft of public funds.
The pastoral letter from December 2, 2025, stands as a significant ecclesiastical intervention into a national crisis, framing the environmental and social disaster of flooding as a direct consequence of moral failure in governance.
