The Trillion-Peso Betrayal: When Greed Drowns a Nation

“For the love of money is the root of all evils, and through this craving some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
—1 Timothy 6:10

A Nation Betrayed

The Philippines, the beloved homeland for many of us, knows the power of water. Each year, floods displace thousands, typhoons devastate farms, and storms sweep away homes. In response, billions of pesos are allocated for climate adaptation projects—our collective lifeline against disaster.

But what happens when that lifeline is stolen? Recent investigations have revealed that more than a trillion pesos in climate funds have been siphoned away by a well-organized syndicate of politicians, contractors, and officials. Money meant to save lives has instead been used to feed greed.

This is not just corruption. It is betrayal—of the poor, of the nation, and of God Himself.

The Root of the Evil

St. Paul’s words in today’s first reading from 1 Timothy 6:2c-12 echo with piercing clarity. He warns against those who treat religion as a means of gain and who crave riches, reminding us that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”

The love of money, Paul tells us, is a root of all kinds of evil. It produces envy, rivalry, suspicion, and destruction. It turns leaders into oppressors and institutions into rackets. It blinds hearts, hardens consciences, and pierces the soul with “many pangs.”

This is Mammon at work—the idol that lured Judas to betray the Lord for thirty pieces of silver, and that today lures leaders to betray millions of Filipinos for billions of pesos.

The Wisdom of the Saints

Our Catholic tradition has never been silent about the danger of greed.

• St. Basil the Great preached: “The bread you store up belongs to the hungry; the cloak you keep in your closet belongs to the naked; the money you bury belongs to the destitute.”

• St. John Chrysostom reminded us: “Not to share our wealth with the poor is to rob them and take away their livelihood. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs.”

• Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium, warns: “The worship of the ancient golden calf has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose.”

The message is consistent: money is meant to serve, not to enslave. Wealth is meant to be shared, not stolen. Leadership is meant to protect, not betray.

Godliness with Contentment

Against the poison of greed, St. Paul offers an antidote: “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” True wealth is not measured by pesos or properties, but by righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness (cf. 1 Tim 6:11).

Imagine if our leaders embraced this wisdom. Politics would no longer be profit, but sacrifice. Budgets would no longer be loot, but lifelines. Public service would no longer be a scheme, but a vocation.

A Call to Action

Brothers and sisters, we cannot remain passive. Corruption is not only a financial crime—it is a sin against God and the poor. As Pope Benedict XVI taught in Caritas in Veritate: “Every economic decision has a moral consequence.”

What, then, must we do?

• Pray for the conversion of hearts—that those blinded by greed may repent before it is too late.

• Live with integrity—rejecting bribes, dishonesty, and shortcuts in our own daily lives.

• Speak prophetically—naming sin as sin, refusing to be silent in the face of systemic theft.

• Stand with the poor—for in serving them, we serve Christ Himself (cf. Mt. 25:40).

The storms will come. The floods will rise. But the greater flood we must resist is the flood of greed. And the ark of our salvation will not be stolen trillions, but the justice of God, the courage of His people, and the mercy of Christ who walks with the poor.

“Let us not seek our own interests, but those of our neighbor… for this is the highest expression of justice.”
—St. Ambrose

Choose this day whom you will serve: God, or Mammon (cf. Joshua 24:15). May we rise as a nation that seeks holiness over wealth, service over gain, and eternal life over fleeting riches.