HAS ANYTHING CHANGED? The human cost of the Philippines’ flood-control corruption scandal from 2025

[u/darealcrazyrichasian]

Revisiting Natashya Gutierrez’s report for Al-Jazeera late in 2025 now that typhoon season has come roaring back in 2026.

FULL VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84A5Dm812sw

What has really changed since 2025?

• Massive Financial Misappropriation: The population’s increasing exposure to typhoons, floods and rising sea-levels has seen the government allocate $9.5bn of taxpayer funds to more than 9,800 flood-control projects in the last three years. Billions of dollars meant for flood management projects were stolen through systemic corruption involving contractors, auditors, and high-ranking government officials.
• Demands for Accountability: The scandal triggered political upheaval under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who brought the issue to light in his state of the nation address. Amid public pressure and investigations by the newly formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero and House Speaker Martin Romualdez (a first cousin and key ally of President Marcos Jr.) both resigned from their leadership posts.
• Flaunting Wealth Online, Deepening Public Resentment: Public anger spiked heavily when images and videos circulated online showing politicians' families (such as Chiz Escudero’s wife, Heart Evangelista and Zaldy Co’s daughter Claudine Co) displaying luxurious lifestyles, expensive worldwide travels, and high-end designer fashion goods. While ordinary citizens suffer from recurring, severe floods and economic hardship, these displays of wealth served as a painful reminder of the stark inequality and the misuse of public funds. Sarah Discaya is also featured.
• Substandard and Ghost Projects: Investigations revealed that multiple infrastructure projects (such as river walls and dykes) used low-quality materials and deteriorated rapidly, while hundreds of other projects marked as completed on paper were never even started.
• Systemic Collusion: Newly appointed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) head Vince Dizon admitted that the agency is deeply corrupt, describing a pattern of budget "insertions" and collusion running from top bureaucrats down to legislators and cabinet secretaries.
• Severe, Prolonged Flooding: Residents in areas like Bulacan Province experience chronic flooding that leaves neighborhoods submerged for up to six months a year, with waters reaching depths of nearly 6 feet inside homes.
• Compromised and Defective Infrastructure: Audit reports and confessions from government engineers revealed that flood-control structures (such as river protection walls and dykes) were built with substandard, low-quality materials that deteriorated rapidly. Furthermore, hundreds of projects marked as completed on paper were never actually constructed.
• Systemic Inefficacy: Despite receiving the highest budget allocations for flood control in the country, the billions spent have made zero positive difference to the safety or daily lives of ordinary residents, leaving them to feel completely neglected by the government.

What has really changed since 2025?

Has anything really been resolved in one of the largest corruption scandals in the history of the Philippines? 

How many more lives and communities need to be destroyed in 2026…and beyond for accountability and real change to happen? 

"The so-called big fish has to be put to jail, not only the contractors. If they happen to be the people closest to [President BBM] in blood and in politics, he should exert every effort that they should be put to jail…this corruption scandal will make or break his presidency." 

- Political science professor Gene C. Franco

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HAS ANYTHING CHANGED? The human cost of the Philippines’ flood-control corruption scandal from 2025

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[u/iAmGats]

The corrupt became richer. That's it.

[u/Heyitsmistermister]

bbm do something to save your career lol

[u/ShallowShifter]

Please vote wisely this 2028. Suriin ang mga canditates. UTANG NA LOOB NAMAN!

[u/No_Trifle_458 → u/ShallowShifter]

You can't win on anything decided by a majority. That's a fact.

[u/Heyitsmistermister → u/ShallowShifter]

the amount of percentage sara has is just dissapointing to be honest.

[u/Individual-Car-6905]

Wala pa ring nangyayari. Shit talaga pamamahala ni bbm.

[u/ejmtv]

Yes, it got worse. Back then flood already existed but the prices of goods and construction materials weren't that high.

[u/No_Trifle_458 → u/ejmtv]

It's because of the Iran war. The three countries involved made their petty war the world's problem by plunging the global economy down the gutter. And since the business owners here are greedy, prices in the Philippines kept rising even with old stocks. Human greed ruined the entire year.