
MANILA (UCAN): Catholics wore white clothing during Sunday Mass on October 12, following an appeal by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines [CBCP], as a symbolic gesture to call for renewal in the nation, which is grappling with corruption scandals.
In various parishes across the archipelago, Catholics donned white dresses as they flocked to Mass on following the bishops’ exhortation.
In an October 11 letter, Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David of Kalookan, the president of the CBCP, called upon Catholics to wear white every Sunday of October and November, and to display white ribbons in their homes, churches, and public places.
Cardinal David said the actions would be “a sign of our desire for transparency, accountability, and good governance.”
He also appealed to Catholics for “a humble prayer” that our nation may be washed clean and renewed in God’s mercy, and spared from further calamities.
[Father Esteban Lo] pointed out that the white colour reminds the faithful of the baptismal garment and the responsibility of all baptised people.
Father Estaban Lo, rector of the Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz in Manila, said wearing white is “a symbolic gesture to make the people aware of their part in the fight against corruption,” according to Fides.
The gestures are aimed at urging the faithful to start their fight against corruption from the “moral and spiritual levels,” and to contribute to “good governance in society,” Father Lo said.
He pointed out that the white colour reminds the faithful of the baptismal garment and the responsibility of all baptised people.
“We extend the invitation to the faithful and have placed white ribbons in front of the church,” said Father Lo, who is also the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Philippines.
The bishops’ letter also recalled the October 6 national call to prayer and public repentance, which urged the faithful to pray daily, recite the Rosary, perform acts of penance, and participate in the Eucharist, imploring God’s mercy and the healing of the country.
There must be an eruption from within us, not of lava and destruction, but of grace and conversion—the eruption of conscience, of honesty, of mercy, of solidarity
Archbishop Victor Bendico
On October 16, during Mass for the pontifical coronation of the original image of the Virgen sang Barangay at San Sebastian Cathedral, Baclolod, Archbishop Victor Bendico of Capiz said the nation is “lost amid corruption that continues to wound our institutions,” CBCP News reported.
Archbishop Bendico lamented the “moral decay that poisons even our leaders” and a “culture of lies and indifference” that has dulled the Filipino people’s sense of right and wrong.
“There must be an eruption from within us, not of lava and destruction, but of grace and conversion—the eruption of conscience, of honesty, of mercy, of solidarity,” the archbishop said.
The Philippines has been plagued by billion-dollar corruption scandals linked to climate change projects and natural disasters, including typhoons and earthquakes.
At least six people were killed when a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit southern Philippines on October 10, triggering a regional tsunami alert.
Earlier on September 30, at least 75 people were killed and another 1,271 were injured after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck central Philippines.
In 2024, three typhoons—Toraji [Nika], Usagi [Ofel], and Man-yi [Pepito]—swept across the archipelago, flooding vast areas.
Over the past several months, protests have rocked the country after investigative reports revealed that more than US$30 billion in funds allocated for climate projects since 2022 were been plundered through numerous “ghost projects.”
Tens of thousands joined rallies in Manila and elsewhere in the country to vent their anger over the massive graft scandal.
Protesters clashed with police, leading to the arrest of about 216 mostly young protesters in Manila.
Rights groups slammed the arrests and called for the immediate release of the detainees.