Wear ‘Huwag Kang Magnakaw’ shirt for Visita Iglesia, Tagle urges faithful

Filipinos making the traditional Visita Iglesia, or church visits, this coming Holy Week may want to send an extra message against corruption and stealing from the public.

In Manila, Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle urged people to wear "Huwag Kang Magnakaw" shirts as a "symbol of rejecting the act of stealing."

"Our advocacy is a continuing journey in uprooting the culture of stealing on all levels of society and planting the seed of honesty, integrity and generosity so as to finally reclaim the stolen dignity of the Filipino people," he said in a Feb. 25 circular.

A copy of the circular was posted on the "Huwag Kang Magnakaw" movement's Facebook page. ).

Filipinos are expected to visit churches as part of "Visita Iglesia" this Holy Week.

Tagle noted Lent is a chance to examine one’s conscience, including the sin of stealing.

Meanwhile, Fr. Atilano Fajardo, head of the Manila Archdiocese's public affairs unit, lamented the country has “practically become a country of thieves.”

He said God's seventh commandment had been violated "from the highest bureaucrat who dip their fingers in the taxpayers’ coffers, down to the grade-schooler who copies his classmate’s homework," according to an article on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site.

“Corruption is not the monopoly of politicians. Without us being aware of it, we’ve all been guilty of corruption … Children stealing coins from their parents’ pockets, students cheating during exams, etc.,” he said.

The CBCP said the shirts are sold at P150 each.

It said the shirts can be bought at Adamson University in Manila; Radyo Veritas in Quezon City; Caritas Manila in Pandacan, Manila; and in select parishes nationwide. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News