PEOPLE'S MONEY

Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall! Improvising to the music of the harp, like David, they devise their own accompaniment. They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph! Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.

REFLECTION

Upon opening up my emails early this morning, Vincent Ty who is a batch-mate of mine in high school forwarded a write-up entitled “Do not be sorry for Erap”. This is the same material I received from my sister the other day and it looks like it is being passed around in the internet for all Filipinos to read.

In the said write-up regarding the conviction of former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada more popularly know as Erap, we were all reminded on how he plundered the people’s money. A whooping Four Billion Pesos of peoples’ money at the Social Security System or SSS and the Government Service and Insurance System or GSIS was invested to Belle Corporation upon his direct instructions. Not only did he earn a fat commission on the said transaction, the worse is that the investment was a flop!

As they say, “Crime does not pay”. The former president was found guilty and was sentenced to imprisonment, but the big question is can government still recover such huge investment taken from the lowly people?

Recent news talks of granting the former President an absolute presidential pardon. Whether this is rightful or not is a judgment that I leave to the Lord; what concerns me is the sincerity and dedication of government to protect the people’s welfare, being entrusted as stewards.

I guess what they need are some helpful tips from Rev. Fr. Manny Sarez of the Diocese of Cubao regarding Stewardship.

Read: Amos 6:1.4-7