Should the clergy go on strike to take a stand against corruption?
How much longer can we tolerate an unresponsive, self-serving, and corrupt government? The latest wave of corruption has clearly struck a nerve; patience has run out, and people are tired of church-going politicians who epitomize corruption. When the current President delivers a “Mahiya naman kayo” speech to legislators, it signals an unprecedented level of moral decay in this country.
If there is indeed a God, we might be praying to the wrong one. In 2025, only 30 percent (2.6 billion) of the world’s population is Christian, and less than half of that figure is Catholic. China alone, with its 1.4 billion people, has about 1 percent of its population as Christians (0.43 percent Catholics). So, if the idea of praying to the wrong God seems absurd, think again.
What could have happened after Ferdinand Magellan planted the cross in Cebu in 1521? We seem to face a significant share of “acts of God,” and it’s evident that Cebu has suffered the worst recently. The recent Typhoon “Tino” and earthquake have severely impacted the region, with significant loss of life and extensive infrastructure damage.
How much of the P26.7 billion allotted for flood control in Cebu has been siphoned off by corrupt contractors and politicians? The years of substandard construction, rigged bidding, kickbacks, and bribes are coming back to haunt us. It has taken climate change to expose these perennial thieves.
Wouldn’t it be striking to see images of these kleptopoliticians deep in prayer in local churches? Why are we so devout on a Sunday and then act corruptly on a Monday? This discrepancy reveals a troubling truth: for many Filipinos, faith means little more than fulfilling a ritual. Going to church, praying the rosary, or observing the Stations of the Cross are practices that end once they are completed.
I learned during my years in Catholic school that it’s all about tradition and observance, often divorced from values like honesty, gratitude, or integrity. That’s why cheating has become a national pastime; the culture of “lamangan” or “isahan” is tightly woven into our social fabric.
The idea of the clergy going on strike may seem facetious, but it warrants serious consideration. There are several ways to enact this, the most obvious being the cancellation of Sunday services. Other possibilities include withdrawing sacramental services (weddings, baptisms, and burial rites), spiritual counseling, pastoral care, missionary work, and more.
The image of bishops and priests, clad in their robes, picketing the Manila Cathedral or the legislative building would capture headlines worldwide, calling for a more meaningful practice of faith or, more directly, demanding that the government serve its people with rectitude and integrity. This is the kind of notoriety that can effectively put some teeth in the “Mahiya naman kayo” speech.
The most important message it would convey is, “We have had enough”—enough of corruption, enough of vote-buying, enough of reelecting corrupt politicians, and enough of business as usual. It serves as a reminder that “everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.” It is insufficient to pray for the rewards of a good life without the sacrifice and struggle required to attain that goal.
As long as we are beholden to a “belief gene,” we will continue to follow the path that evolution has laid out, in one form or another. In this period of Enlightenment—300 years and counting—while we are forging changes much faster than our evolutionary predecessors, it remains too slow for humanity to break free from a metaphysical delusion and step into a progressive secular future.
Edwin de Leon,
edwingdeleon@gmail.com
