30/09/2025
The Hidden Tax We All Pay
After almost four decades in the financial services industry, I’ve witnessed markets rise, fall, and collapse through several crises. If there’s one lesson that has been consistent, it’s this: the market doesn’t care about our political opinions. It only cares about whether our portfolios survive.
While many stay glued to Senate hearings, I find myself watching something else—₱11 billion worth of flood control projects left unfinished, foreign funds fleeing our shores once again, and investor confidence at a dangerous low. These are not just numbers in a report. They are reminders of a deeper problem eating away at our economy.
This is not merely about guilt or innocence. This is about the silent “corruption tax” that every Filipino is already paying. It’s the hidden cost embedded in delayed infrastructure, unstable markets, and missed opportunities.
From a biblical perspective, this is also a matter of stewardship. Scripture reminds us that “it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2, ESV). When leaders mishandle resources, the people suffer. Corruption robs not just our economy, but also our God-given responsibility to manage wealth for the good of others and for the glory of God.
Markets thrive on trust and transparency. When those foundations are compromised, the burden falls on ordinary families—on their savings, their livelihoods, and their hopes for a better future. And whether we admit it or not, corruption compounds like interest. It quietly drains us, generation after generation.
The noise of politics may dominate the headlines, but as stewards of what God has entrusted to us, we must keep our eyes open to what truly matters. Because in the end, the bigger question isn’t just how much corruption costs us financially—but how much it keeps us from living out faithful stewardship before God.
