By Helen Castaño | 09:40 AM September 15, 2025
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Boholano Bishop Alberto “Abet” Uy issued a strong pastoral statement condemning corruption and so-called “ghost projects,” calling them not only crimes against the people but also mortal sins against God.
Uy said corruption goes beyond politics, describing it as a “deep moral and spiritual problem” that betrays both the poor and Christ Himself.
“When leaders steal, they do not only rob the nation, they betray Christ Himself,” the archbishop said. “To steal from the poor is to steal from Jesus. And to live in comfort while others drown in floods and hunger is to spit in the face of God’s justice.”
Uy, who serves as shepherd of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, will be installed as Archbishop of Cebu on Sept. 30.
Citing scriptures from Luke, Matthew, Amos, and Proverbs, Uy stressed that corruption is a grave insult to a country that prides itself on being the only Christian nation in Asia. He lamented how ghost projects, overpriced materials, and kickbacks have become rampant, calling them both a social shame and a spiritual scandal.
The prelate also warned that corruption stunts the nation’s progress, keeping Filipinos in poverty while leaders enrich themselves. “National progress is impossible when greedy hands plunder,” he said, adding that systems of transparency and accountability must be strengthened to stop the cycle of dishonesty.
Uy, however, emphasized that corruption is not confined to politicians. Ordinary citizens, he said, are also guilty when they tolerate shortcuts, pay bribes, or sell their votes.
“Every vote sold is a future stolen,” Uy warned. “If we want a new Philippines, it must begin with us—new hearts, new habits, new honesty.”
The archbishop’s pastoral message serves as a wake-up call for all Filipinos to reject corruption in both public and private life, to demand integrity from leaders, and to live out Christian values in action, not just in words.
He closed his statement with a challenge for the faithful: “Let justice roll down like a river in our land. Let honesty and righteousness rise like the sun. And let us build, together with Christ, a new Philippines founded not on greed but on grace.”
