THE Archdiocese of Manila has called on the faithful to channel their frustration over corruption in flood control projects through peaceful actions and collective vigilance.
In a circular issued Monday evening, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula said that protest actions are a legitimate way for citizens to express outrage over irregularities in government.
“The many organized rallies denouncing corruption and demanding accountability are not merely pockets of political resistance. They are manifestations of the people’s collective moral conviction and an exercise of their rightful obligation to suppress the proliferation of evil in our midst,” Advincula said.
He stressed that public participation in governance should extend beyond elections.
“It continues between elections by holding leaders accountable through vigilance, discernment, and when necessary—protest,” he added.
The archbishop said the Church has a duty to guide the faithful with impartiality and objectivity while promoting the common good. “Politics is not hopelessly irredeemable,” he said.
The Archdiocese’s statement comes ahead of the Trillion Peso March Against Corruption, a protest rally set on Sept. 21 at the People Power Monument in Quezon City. Organizers expect at least 15,000 participants, with the number likely to rise further.
Fr. Albert Delvo, co-convenor of the Manila Archdiocesan and Parochial Schools Association, clarified that the activity does not endorse or oppose any political figure but is solely a stand against corruption.
