A leading Church official in the Philippines has warned that disasters turn deadlier when corruption hollows out public works, as the country reeled from the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30.

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan said the tragedy must also be seen as a consequence of systemic corruption.

“We grieve for those who perished in Cebu. But we must also grieve for the shameless chain of corruption that led to their death,” he said. “Their blood cries out not only against natural calamity but against human greed.”

David pointed to allegations that a significant portion of public infrastructure budgets are lost to kickbacks before construction even begins, leaving weakened structures unable to withstand natural forces. 

“Whether it is a bridge, a basketball court, a multi-purpose hall, or a flood control system—when corruption consumes 70% of the lifeblood of public works, what remains is too brittle to withstand even normal wear and tear, much less a 6.7-magnitude earthquake,” he said.

David’s warning comes as the Philippines faces controversies over allegations of widespread corruption in government infrastructure projects. 

The Cebu earthquake, David said, is a painful reminder that when corruption eats into construction budgets, the cost is paid in human lives.

Rising death toll

The magnitude 6.9 quake struck late Tuesday off the northern tip of Cebu Island near Bogo City, according to the US Geological Survey. 

On October 1, government officials confirmed 69 deaths, with at least 150 people injured and an undetermined number still missing.

Authorities warned that more people could be trapped in collapsed structures and appealed for volunteer medics. 

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the area had recorded 379 aftershocks. Power lines snapped, roads cracked, and entire villages were left isolated.

Church response

The newly installed Archbishop of Cebu, Alberto Uy, immediately ordered parishes to conduct structural assessments and suspend activities inside the churches until engineers certify their safety. 

He urged the faithful “to refrain from using your churches for the celebration of the Holy Mass until the proper experts have carried out the assessment and declared the structures safe for use.”

Uy also called on Catholics to entrust themselves to God’s protection “from every harm, and guide us to safety and peace.”

Earlier that day, nearly 60 bishops had gathered in Cebu City for Uy’s installation Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. 

In his homily, the archbishop expressed his intention “to embrace that call in my life as shepherd” of the Catholic faithful in Cebu.

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines, the country’s mainline Protestants, issued a prayer, asking that the most vulnerable be remembered.

“We bring before You those who are traumatized and anxious, especially the unseen and unheard — the women and children, people with disabilities, and those from poor communities. May none of them be left behind in the healing process,” it said.

Firsthand experience

Bishop Glenn Corsiga of Ipil was in Cebu to attend the installation Mass of Archbishop Alberto Uy when the quake struck. He recalled fleeing barefoot from his hotel as the building swayed violently. 

“The loud sound of thunder-like growl can be heard all over as we run to save our lives, covering our heads as taught by and learned from earthquake drills,” he wrote.

In his reflection, Corsiga urged preparedness but also compassion for those most affected. “Let us be supportive of the needs of victims of calamities, pray for the souls of those who have died, and assist their respective families,” he said. 

The prelate said the suffering of the victims is difficult to grasp, as they face confusion and uncertainty about what the future holds after losing everything they had worked for.

The bishop called on communities to extend generosity as a source of hope, saying, “May we gather the bounty of generous hearts as to make the suffering feel there is hope right in their front yards…and that hope indomitably begins with people who are kind-hearted.” 

Call for integrity

Cardinal David, who heads the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said the tragedy in Cebu is a reminder that natural disasters expose more than structural weaknesses. 

“May God have mercy on the innocent victims. And may He also have mercy on the souls of those who, for a price, have betrayed the trust of the people and brought ruin upon their own nation,” he said.