Weathering the Storms

Life in the Philippines has always been fragile and tenuous. Manila and Luzon are right now reeling again at the onslaught of yet another typhoon, Maring. Most of the metropolis is under water and thousands have moved to evacuation centers. Even as the good-hearted struggle to help and save lives, the country is also reeling at the effects of yet another man-made disaster, the pork barrel scandal.

In a country so used to corruption, it still extremely shocking how so many of our leaders in congress are involved in a grand conspiracy to plunder the national coffers, converting public funds for their personal use through the PDAF scam. As the poor struggle through natural calamities and living with meager social services due to lack of public funds, it is unconscionable and galling how these leaders can collectively raid the national treasury for their own personal benefits.

As Maring lashes and wrecks havoc across the country, one is almost tempted to say that the heavens are crying out for justice for these corrupt leaders to pay for their grand larceny. I feel like crying out to the heavens to rain down fire and brimstone on these leaders, their ilks and their houses. But even in Sodom and Gomorrah, God had agreed to spare the cities if there were just ten just persons to be found in them. There are definitely more than ten just persons in the Philippines.

I know more than ten just persons in our country. We have been blessed with people who deeply care and love the country. People visiting our country immediately feel the warmth and sincerity of our hospitality and caring. Everywhere Filipinos go for work, they often impress by their talent and diligence at work. We showed the world how to bring about political change without violence through EDSA. This event has been replicated many times over in many different places around the globe. Gawad Kalinga is showing the world a novel and effective way of bringing about social change.

The Filipino will weather all storms and disasters, praying and singing on his way out. I join the rest of the country in prayers and songs as we struggle through Maring and the PDAF scandal. In His time, we will receive our hundredfold.

Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
Matthew 19:23-30