DABAWENYOS expressed frustration and anger over the massive corruption scandal involving flood control projects nationwide, saying Mindanaoans are the ones left suffering despite contributing significantly to national development.
For many Dabawenyos, the issue cuts deeper because Mindanao has long struggled with flooding and poor infrastructure, only to learn that billions of pesos were allegedly siphoned off through anomalous projects in other parts of the Philippines.
“Kapila na mi ga-antos ani kada ting-uwan. Mosaka ang tubig sa among barangay, dayon walay klarong drainage. Kung tinud-anay lang unta ang ilang proyekto, basin wala na mi pirmi magbaha,” said 32-year-old Marites Ong, a vendor at Bankerohan Market who lost her stall last year during a heavy flood.
Others called the scandal a betrayal of trust. A 28-year-old jeepney driver who refused to be identified said Mindanaoans have always been patient despite the lack of government investment.
“Abi namo gamay lang ang budget tungod kay wala’y pundo, pero kung mao diay ni nga gikurakot lang, klaro nga binuang na. Kami pa ang gabayad og buwis, kami pa ang gibilin sa baha,” he said.
Meanwhile, a small business owner along J.P. Laurel Avenue, who requested to hide her name in this interview, pointed out that the scandal makes Mindanaoans doubt the sincerity of national leaders.
“Magpugong mi og paglaom kay pirmi man ingon nga walay kwarta para sa Mindanao. Pero karon makita nato nga naa diay, pero gisuyop lang sa bulsa sa uban. Unfair gyud kaayo para sa among mga anak nga mo-tubo nga walay klarong kalsada ug proteksyon sa kalamidad,” she said.
This, as Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Secretary Leo Tereso Magno issued a strongly worded statement, calling the revelations a “deep betrayal” of Filipinos, particularly Mindanaoans who have endured decades of underfunding.
“My heart truly bleeds for Mindanao. For years, we at the Mindanao Development Authority have been fighting to secure a fair and equitable share of the national budget. Yet until today, Mindanao continues to receive only around 15 percent despite being home to a quarter of the country’s population and a major contributor to national development,” Magno said.
“It is deeply disgusting to now discover that while Mindanao is forced to make do with so little, billions — if not trillions — are being siphoned off through anomalous flood control projects and questionable insertions. These stolen resources could have built the roads, bridges, seaports, airports, energy systems, and schools that Mindanao has long been deprived of,” he added.
Scandal unfolds nationwide
The flood control controversy has escalated into one of the biggest corruption crises under the current national administration.
Investigations by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the Commission on Audit (COA) revealed that out of the P545 billion spent on flood control projects since 2022, thousands of contracts were either undocumented, substandard, or completely fictitious.
Contractors Pacifico and Sarah Discaya testified that several House legislators and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials allegedly demanded kickbacks of up to 25 percent in exchange for project approval.
Recent reports further showed that a small circle of contractors cornered a significant portion of the budget, while numerous projects carried suspiciously identical bid patterns despite being implemented in different locations.
Government tightens oversight
In response to mounting public pressure, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed a “full and uncompromising” investigation. He is set to create an independent commission to probe the anomalies, complementing ongoing Congressional inquiries.
Newly appointed DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon has also suspended all local bidding, required courtesy resignations from senior officials, and promised to blacklist contractors implicated in the scandal. He dissolved the agency’s internal anti-corruption committee, saying independent oversight is necessary.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued immigration lookout bulletins for 43 personalities linked to the mess, while the Bureau of Immigration is monitoring several contractors who have reportedly fled abroad. The Office of the Ombudsman, for its part, has formed a 13-member panel to file charges against those responsible.
Billions cut from 2026 budget
The fallout is already affecting national spending priorities. The proposed 2026 National Expenditure Program reduces the flood control allocation to P274.9 billion, down from P346.6 billion this year — a P71.7 billion cut.
At the same time, COA has launched a fraud audit in Bulacan, where nearly half of Central Luzon’s P548 billion flood control budget since 2022 was concentrated.
Public outcry mounts
Civil society groups and business chambers, including MinDA, have jointly demanded accountability, denouncing political contractors who flaunt wealth while communities remain vulnerable to flooding.
“This is not only about corruption — it is about justice, equity, and the future of our nation. We must put an end to this cycle of plunder and neglect. Enough of crumbs while corruption elsewhere feasts on billions. Mindanao deserves better, and the Filipino people deserve better,” Magno stressed.
Mindanao’s longstanding grievance
For decades, Mindanao leaders and development advocates have lamented the island’s meager share in the national budget. Despite contributing significantly to agriculture, energy, and trade, the region continues to receive only around 15 percent of national appropriations, far below what many say is fair for its population size and economic role.
The revelation that billions, if not trillions, of pesos may have been lost to anomalous flood control projects elsewhere in the country has reignited calls for equity. For Mindanaoans, the issue is not only about corruption in Manila or Central Luzon, it highlights the stark contrast between the billions squandered in questionable projects and the urgent, unmet needs of communities across the island.
Many of Mindanao’s provinces remain highly vulnerable to flooding, particularly during the typhoon season and periods of heavy monsoon rains.
In Maguindanao del Sur, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) triggered widespread inundation in May 2025, affecting more than 270,000 people between May 14 and 22. Of these, around 8,000 individuals sought shelter in evacuation centers, while an estimated 261,965 were displaced outside such centers. Over 120 areas within the province were impacted, with substantial disruption to roads, homes, and bridges.
In February 2024, floods and landslides in portions of Davao, Caraga, and Northern Mindanao caused P738.6 million worth of infrastructure damage, displaced 352,272 individuals, and affected approximately 1.38 million people across the southern Philippines.
Earlier that same month, estimated losses, including both infrastructure and agriculture — reached P3.6 billion, with close to 472,000 families impacted and nearly 60,000 evacuated, while nearly 19,071 farmers and fisherfolk were affected. DEF