By Kent Alistair Gerona
In the past week, torrential rains and severe monsoon weather left large parts of Luzon submerged, displacing nearly 300,000 Filipinos and killing at least 25 people. Hardest hit were provinces like Pangasinan, where thousands were forced to abandon their homes due to rapidly rising waters. But beyond the natural causes of these floods lies a deeper, more disturbing reason: corruption embedded within the very institutions meant to protect the public.
Since 2011, the Philippines has allocated nearly P2 trillion for flood-control projects. According to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, as much as P1 trillion of that amount has likely been lost to corruption. The statement, which came in the wake of widespread flooding and structural failures, sheds light on an open secret in Philippine politics: flood-control funds have long served as a breeding ground for graft.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. echoed this sentiment during his 2025 State of the Nation Address. Calling the situation “unforgivable,” he ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways to audit all flood-control projects from 2022 onward. He also instructed the creation of a multisectoral monitoring body tasked with flagging ghost or unfinished projects — many of which have become common in local government reports.
The consequences of this systemic failure are not theoretical. In Metro Manila and nearby cities like Malabon and Navotas, where billions of pesos have been spent on flood mitigation, residents still experience knee-deep waters after just a few hours of rain. Many of these areas have long had flood-control infrastructure such as pumping stations and floodgates, but repeated reports from watchdog groups and investigative journalists show that these systems are either poorly maintained, structurally unsound, or never completed.
Worse still, the distribution of flood-control funding has been marred by political maneuvering. In past years, sudden last-minute budget insertions by lawmakers have directed flood-control funds to their districts, not based on need but on political clout. The Commission on Audit has flagged several of these projects for failing to meet basic transparency and procurement standards. Some were outright non-existent.
Yet, despite billions poured into these efforts, floods have grown more frequent and more destructive. This is not a coincidence. When contractors cut corners, when officials pocket commissions, and when oversight is deliberately weakened, the consequences are tangible.
