Corruption among Catholic public officials in the Philippines
The Philippines consistently cements its reputation as a vanguard of Catholicism in Asia—boasting old churches and a predominantly Catholic population. In 2020, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that about four out of five Filipino households declared themselves to be of the Roman Catholic faith (http://bit.ly/4fJ41ng).
The country is no stranger to the interactions between the Catholic Church and the state. The national hero, Dr. José Rizal, famously wrote about the power that priests wielded during the Spanish colonization in his obra maestras. In 1986, Manila’s Archbishop Cardinal Sin appealed to the people for peace, which led to the people power revolution. The influence of the Church on the country cannot be denied even today, where it is still common to see politicians display themselves as devout or to hear about political aspirants courting religious groups to secure block votes. With another round of elections coming soon in the Philippines, the spotlight is once again on the political aspirants to prove to the public that they are upright citizens and morally sound people.
Speaking as someone who grew up witnessing how Catholic values shaped and influenced the Philippines, it makes me wonder why corruption is so prevalent in the country even though public institutions such as schools and media outlets regularly emphasize the importance of embodying moral values whether it be through formal curriculum or entertainment. This is the country where churches are found in every other town, where religious-themed shows like “May Bukas Pa” became mainstream nationwide, and where the opinions of award-giving bodies such as the Catholic Mass Media hold weight. This is the country where a lot of the top schools are affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, where the process of legalizing universal access to contraceptives became ripe with protests, and controversies, and where divorce is still not legal.
Despite Catholic-influenced institutions preaching about moral values to Filipinos, corruption still seems prevalent among people of power in the country. In 2023, the Philippines ranked 115th out of 180 countries in the 2023 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (https://bit.ly/3B7M0Qf). With each new administration, there seems to be a new scandal that comes to light at the expense of taxpayers and the common folk. Dishonest behavior and money almost always seem to be involved in corruption cases of public officials. Even though quite a number of public officials identify as Roman Catholic or were educated in Catholic-affiliated schools, they may still commit these dishonest acts.
This is not to say that religion should bear the brunt of the ills of society. After all, other countries influenced by Catholicism or other religions also have their fair share of concerns. On paper, the Philippines should also be a secular state, and religion should not be the guiding hand behind people’s actions in service. It is interesting though how in truth, the country is still very much influenced by Catholicism. For a society that views itself to have a collective nature and prides itself on being a vanguard of Catholicism, the country remains plagued by behavior rooted in individualism and issues contrary to the Church’s teachings.
If Catholic views about the sanctity of marriage can deter the legalization of divorce for all, how come Catholic views about the evils of greed do not deter corruption? If state-wise, Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and church-wise, the 10 Commandments, cannot stop corruption among public servants in the Philippines—then what can? What should?
But then again, maybe it is actually Catholicism that inspires a generally forgiving nature among Filipinos, enabling corruption to propagate and go unpunished. After all, didn’t Jesus say let the one without sin be the first to cast a stone?
Alyssa Y. Go
