28/08/2025
Flood control projects should save lives—but in the Philippines, it's often used to make corrupt officials richer. These projects are supposed to protect communities from disasters like typhoons and heavy rains. But instead of helping people, some of these projects become tools for corruption. One of the most common forms of corruption is called a kickback.
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌?
A kickback is a secret payment made by a contractor (the company doing the project) to a government official in exchange for winning the project. It’s like a bribe, but hidden inside the budget. For example, if a road project is worth ₱100 million, only ₱40 million might be used for actual construction. The rest, ₱60 million, gets divided among corrupt officials and middlemen.
Mayor Vico Sotto explained that in Pasig, they were able to save billions because they removed kickbacks. He said that when bidding is honest, prices go down. A project that used to cost ₱100 million can be done for ₱80 million or less. That means kickbacks were inflating costs.
In his interview with Models of Manila TV, Mayor Vico Sotto further exposed systemic corruption in government procurement, particularly in flood control projects, and criticized the practice of paid media interviews that blur the line between journalism and political promotion. Without naming individuals, he challenged the ethics of broadcasters allegedly accepting large sums to feature controversial figures, sparking backlash from veteran journalists. Despite the tension, Sotto emphasized that his intent was not to defame but to provoke honest reflection and accountability, urging both media and government to confront uncomfortable truths in pursuit of genuine reform.
𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔: 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒕
Senator Panfilo Lacson and other lawmakers revealed that ₱545 billion was allocated for flood control from 2022 to 2025. Shockingly, ₱100 billion went to just 15 contractors. Many of these projects were either:
- Ghost projects (non-existent)
- Substandard (poor quality)
- Unnecessary (built in areas that don’t flood)
In Bulacan alone, one company received ₱9 billion for flood control, but many of its projects were never built. President Marcos called this “economic sabotage”.
Many experts say the money was misused. Some projects had the same price even though they were in different places, which looks suspicious. When the government asked questions, some contractors did not show up. People also reported fake or missing projects through the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” ( https://sumbongsapangulo.ph/ ) website—over 1,000 complaints came in just a few days. Despite all the spending, floods still cause deaths and damage, showing that the system is broken and the money didn’t go where it was truly needed.
𝑫𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔?
No, not all mayors are corrupt. Leaders like Vico Sotto(Pasig), Benjamin Magalong (Baguio), and Joy Belmonte (Quezon City) are part of the Mayors for Good Governance group. They are pushing for transparency and accountability. But sadly, in some areas, mayors or other officials do receive kickbacks, especially if they control the budget or approve projects.
𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐 𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏?
Kickbacks happen because:
- Officials want easy money without doing real work.
- Contractors want to win projects even if they’re not qualified.
- Systems are weak, and there’s little punishment.
- Culture of “palakasan” (favoritism) still exists.
In some cases, officials even demand a “reseta” or fixed percentage from the contractor—like a prescription for corruption.
𝑰𝒔 𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒖𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏?
Yes. Kickbacks are a classic form of corruption. They steal money meant for public services and put it in private pockets. This leads to:
- Poor roads, bridges, and flood systems
- More disasters and suffering
- Less money for education, health, and real needs
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆?
To stop kickbacks, we need:
- Honest leaders who lead by example
Mayor Vico Sotto said it best: “𝑮𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆”.
