07/09/2025
๐๐๐๐๐๐| Flooded by Corruption
The Philippines is not just being flooded by rainโit's being drowned by corruption. We live in a reality where policy failures cloaked in red tape and ribbon-cutting ceremonies have replaced floods as natural disasters.
The Marcos administration invested โฑ545 billion in 9,855 alleged flood control projects by 2022. On the ground, however, it's a different story. When visiting low-lying areas in Metro Manila meant to be protected, you find nothingโno barriers, no pumping stations, just misery and mud.
A case in point is a river wall in Bulacan that cost โฑ55 million, marked as "completed" with the full amount paid. Yet, there was no concrete wall, just mud. The President visited the site and expressed outrage, but so are we. The blueprint of this scam involves corrupt practices: contractors are limited, "ghost projects" are approved, and politicians get their share before bidding even begins. According to Senator Ping Lacson, only about 40% of a project's budget goes to actual construction, with the rest being padding. Corruption has become institutionalized, organized, and normalized. Every peso meant for flood control is used for personal gain. Every drainage project "finished" on paper remains clogged because it was never built. Every DPWH report is filled with technical jargon to hide the truth.
This isn't just theft; it's a criminal scheme operating beneath the seal of the republic. People are dying due to human-made decisions, not natural disasters. While some Filipinos enjoy parties in mansions funded by "ghost" infrastructure, others lose their homes and swim in floodwaters.
According to Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, ghost flood projects have cost the economy between โฑ42.3 billion and โฑ118.5 billion, which could have created over 266,000 jobs. The Marcos administration is trying to appear tough amid criticism but promises of accountability and transparency have been made before. Arrests are necessary, contractors must be blacklisted, and accountability must be real. Under Philippine law, excessive negligence, misappropriation of public funds, and betrayal of public trust are punishable by life imprisonment for plundering โฑ50 million or more.
Let's be clear: the flooding isn't just caused by weather; it's policy, decisions, and corruption. It's a crime when billions are spent and nothing is built. It's sabotage when flood control systems fail.
It's time to demand full accountability and transparency. Who's going to prison? If no one is held responsible, this wasn't a scandal; it was a business plan. The Filipino people were just collateral damage. If no one is held accountable, this wasn't a scandal; it was a strategy that succeeded at the cost of lives, pride, and self-assurance. Not all Filipinos were disregarded; they were sacrificed.
Column by ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Cartoon by ๐ฒ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐
