Our country is once again crying out. On Sept. 21, thousands of Filipinos gathered across the nation in what is now called the “Trillion Peso March.”
The march was not a mere political rally; it was the voice of a wounded people, crying against massive corruption in the flood control projects where P1.9 trillion was spent over 15 years, and yet more than half is allegedly lost to corruption.
And while we cry out against this injustice, nature itself cries with us. Since last night, Super Typhoon Nando has battered the northern part of the Philippines.
Imagine if the money stolen was instead invested in real flood control, stronger bridges, and safer evacuation centers. Our nation would have been better prepared.
The people are crying. The land is crying. The question is: What does God require of us in times like this? Let us turn to God’s Word.
First, confront injustice with courage.
Isaiah 1:17 says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
Isaiah spoke to Judah during a time of corruption, hypocrisy in worship, and oppression of the poor. God rejected their sacrifices because their hands were full of blood. The prophet’s call was not just for prayer, but for seeking justice and defending the weak.
Corruption in our land is not just a financial problem; it is a moral and spiritual cancer. Flood control money pocketed by the powerful has led to literal floods drowning the poor. Injustice always has victims.
As Christians, we cannot stay silent. To be neutral in times of injustice is to side with the oppressor. Let us confront corruption with courage: in our workplaces, in our communities, and even in our own hearts.
Refuse to participate in dishonest practices. Speak up when silence means complicity.
Am I confronting injustice in my own circle, or am I silent in the face of wrongdoing?
Second, continue to hope and act for a better future.
Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah lived during a time when leaders were corrupt and the poor were oppressed. Yet he pointed the people back to the essentials of God’s will: justice, mercy, and humility before God.
It is easy to lose hope when corruption seems endless and disasters never stop. But our God calls us not to despair, but to persevere.
Change begins with us. When we live justly, when we show mercy, when we walk humbly with God, we become part of the solution.
Let us raise a new generation that refuses corruption. In our families, let us teach honesty. In our workplaces, let us practice integrity. In our communities, let us show compassion. Even in small acts of faithfulness, we push back against darkness and build hope for the future. | NWI
