Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle on Saturday expressed concern over alleged corruption in government projects and “pork-like” budget insertions, stressing that such acts destroy humanity itself — a sin condemned since biblical times.
In an interview with Rico Hizon on ANC’s Beyond the Exchange, Tagle highlighted the scriptural role of humans: to be stewards, not God.
“You take care of what was entrusted to you not as your own property but as you said, [there is] a blatant manifestation or illusion of ‘I own it, I own everything’ so I am accountable only to myself,” he said. He added that wealth should be shared, not hoarded by a few.
Tagle urged erring politicians, contractors, and agencies to recognize their responsibilities. “My message is this: Please, you are human beings. You are created in God’s image. Can you please look at yourself and with humility, I am not God. I should not pretend to be God, I am creature like many other creature. And so my responsibility is to take care of what God has given to us for the good for all.”
The cardinal stressed that corruption undermines both humanity and morality. “This is the thing that disturbs us, especially leaders of the Church. Is there still a sense of humanity, a sense of sin? ‘Cause if you lose your humanity, you will also lose your sense of sin,” he said. He added that promoting values and quality education from a young age is key to restoring a culture of stewardship.
Reflecting on the recurring cycle of corruption, Tagle asked, “The question is, when we will learn? We’ve been through different protests since I was young, when will we find lasting change? But it is really saddening, especially when we see the effects on poor. When has the human heart gone? Do we still have a heart?”
He encouraged Filipinos to seek lasting change beyond rallies, including withdrawing support from corrupt leaders. “After these rallies, we should now look for a lasting change. We cannot effect change simply by expressing our anger. On a day to day basis, the change should be made by persons and institutions. The institution of accountability and integrity that are created by human persons,” he said.
On the Church’s role in shaping values, Tagle acknowledged its responsibility but noted other societal influences: “Partly yes. But we must also realize that the Church is not the only influence in people’s eyes — there’s also the media, social media, and all the cultural and philosophical trends that are coming up.”
Earlier, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) called on the youth to “make corruption shameful again,” return stolen wealth, and support independent probes into questionable flood control projects.