Flooding is nothing new in the Philippines, but this year the devastation feels different. As communities wade through chest-deep waters, revelations of massive corruption in flood-control projects have left citizens furious.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto recently admitted that up to 70% of funds for flood protection may have been lost to corruption, amounting to billions of pesos. Greenpeace Philippines warned that more than ₱1 trillion in climate-tagged funds since 2023 could be vulnerable, much of it earmarked for drainage and dike systems that either failed, collapsed, or were never built.
Allegations from a Senate inquiry revealed that at least 17 lawmakers and public works officials may have demanded 25% kickbacks from contractors. Some “completed” projects exist only on paper. The scandal has sparked student protests, civic demonstrations, and trending hashtags such as #FloodedByCorruption.
For ordinary Filipinos, the outrage is personal. In Apalit, Pampanga, schoolteacher Marissa Dela Cruz paddles a boat to work and medical appointments. “They said billions were spent on flood control,” she asks, “but where is it? We live underwater.”
The human toll is heavy: families displaced, farmers losing crops, schools closed, and disease spreading through stagnant waters. Economists warn that disasters already shave nearly 1% off GDP annually, and corruption only magnifies the losses.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed that “no one will be spared” in the investigation, even allies, but skepticism runs deep. Past scandals often ended with little accountability. Civil society groups are now demanding independent audits, transparency portals, and stronger penalties for corrupt officials and contractors.
For many, the floods have become a symbol of broken governance. As one Manila resident put it: “Every rainy season we drown — in water and in lies.”