Cardinal David: Resilience not acceptance of corruption, incompetence
Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David has called on Filipinos to move beyond passive resilience in the face of recurring natural disasters. He urges citizens to demand accountability and legal transparency regarding flood-control projects and government negligence.
Why it matters
It reflects a growing push for civic engagement and government accountability in the Philippines regarding infrastructure and disaster management.
MANILA, Philippines - Filipino resilience should not mean passive acceptance of corruption, incompetence and neglect, Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David said Monday as floods continued to disrupt communities across Luzon.
In a social media post on Monday, August 31, David urged Filipinos to go beyond enduring disasters and instead demand accountability for preventable suffering.
"There comes a point when resilience becomes dangerous because it teaches us merely to endure," David said.
"After every disaster, we are told to be resilient. This time, let us also be defiant... Let us refuse to normalize preventable suffering. Let us demand answers. Let us demand accountability. And where the law allows it, let us act together as citizens to hold accountable those who fail in their duty to protect the public," he added.
David said such defiance should take the form of organized, legal civic action rather than simply anger on social media.
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