Ghost Projects, Real Floods: Why Filipinos Must Speak Out Against Corruption
As a Filipino, this current scandal unfolding in the Philippines hits me hard. We’ve always known corruption exists, but to see it surface in something so critical—flood control—cuts deeper than usual. Because this isn’t just about stolen funds; it’s about lives lost, homes destroyed, and a future robbed from our children.
Why Flood Control Matters
Every year, our nation braces for typhoons and monsoon rains. Floods are not an abstract threat; they’re part of our lived reality. Families rebuild their homes only to watch them wash away again. Farmers lose crops. Children miss school. Businesses shut down.
That’s why flood control projects have always been positioned as essential. Over the last 15 years, around ₱2 trillion pesos has been allocated to these efforts. That’s money meant to save lives.
But investigations now reveal that only around 40% of those funds were properly used. The rest? Lost to corruption, tied up in ghost projects—roads, dikes, and infrastructure that exist only on paper.
The Scandal Unfolds
In Bulacan, where flooding is a yearly nightmare, many of these so-called projects never materialized. Instead, contracts were monopolized, kickbacks were rampant, and political ties determined who got to “build.”
Meanwhile, reports exposed officials and their families flaunting their wealth—lavish trips abroad, million-peso mansions, luxury bags, and jewelry. It’s a cruel contrast: while ordinary Filipinos wade through waist-deep floodwaters, those responsible live extravagantly off the money meant to protect us.
Government Response
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the scandal in his State of the Nation Address (July 2025), condemning ghost projects and ordering a full audit. The Commission on Audit (COA) has since launched fraud checks, requiring geo-tagged proof of projects.
Lifestyle checks are being done on officials, and foreign travel has been restricted for DPWH employees until November. Marcos even warned that those found guilty could face charges of economic sabotage.
But here’s the question: Will this lead to lasting change? Or will it be another cycle of hearings, headlines, and silence?
The Human Cost
Corruption doesn’t just drain money. It drowns futures.
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Families lose everything when floodwaters rise.
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Children can’t go to school because their classrooms are underwater.
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Farmers lose their harvests, their only source of livelihood.
Every peso stolen from flood control is a peso stolen from safety and survival.
As a mom, I can’t ignore this. When corruption erodes the foundations meant to keep us safe, it’s our children who will inherit the broken system. That’s why I feel compelled to speak out.
Why We Must Not Forget
How many times have we seen scandals like this? How many times have we watched hearings that lead nowhere?
We Filipinos are strong. But our strength must not just be in survival—it must also be in resistance. We cannot normalize this. We cannot scroll past. We cannot forget.
This is about accountability. About demanding better. About fighting for a future where funds meant for protection actually protect us.
A Call to Action
Let this not be just another headline. Let this not be another case we ignore.
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Share the story.
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Talk about it with family and friends.
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Hold leaders accountable.
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Keep the conversation alive.
Because silence helps only the corrupt. Awareness, outrage, and persistence—that’s what brings change.
We owe it to ourselves. We owe it to our children.
Final Reflection:
Corruption isn’t numbers on a report. It’s the water that floods someone’s home, the rice field that never yields a harvest, the child who loses another year of learning.
We are Filipinos. We are built strong. But true strength means standing up, speaking out, and demanding what is truly ours.
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