In the last two weeks of August 2025, our nation was once again shaken by revelations of corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), where the Commission on Audit uncovered ₱681 million worth of “ghost flood-control projects.” These fraudulent schemes were not mere accounting errors; they represented the deliberate looting of funds intended to protect communities from natural disasters. The scandal unfolded alongside the continued struggles of farmers who faced crop losses and declining incomes due to both climate change and failed rural infrastructure. While political leaders exchanged accusations, ordinary Filipinos — especially those in flood-prone and agricultural regions — bore the brunt of the negligence. What disturbed me most was not only the scale of the corruption, but also the moral indifference shown by many in power. As a peacebuilder and follower of Jesus, I cannot remain silent while deceit and greed devastate the poor. This moment calls for the prophetic voice of the church and civil society to demand accountability, justice, and reform.
The last two weeks of August 2025 revealed a betrayal of staggering proportions. What should have been flood control infrastructure designed to protect our people from death and destruction turned out to be a showcase of corruption and deceit. As I followed the news, I was torn between grief and righteous anger. How can leaders entrusted with the nation’s resources so brazenly steal from those most vulnerable?
President Marcos Jr. inspected supposed flood control works in Iloilo and Bulacan, only to discover ghost projects — reported as completed but non-existent on the ground (Rappler, 2025; Tribune, 2025). The Commission on Audit confirmed these were not isolated incidents. Since July 2022, about ₱545 billion has been allocated to flood control, covering some 9,855 projects. Shockingly, 6,021 projects worth over ₱350 billion lacked even the most basic details, such as what type of infrastructure was supposedly built (Philstar, 2025; BWorld, 2025).
Even more disturbing, only 15 contractors — out of more than 2,400 accredited nationwide — cornered about ₱100 billion worth of projects (PIA, 2025). In Bulacan, Wawao Builders was flagged for 58 projects worth ₱4.2 billion and SYMS Construction for ₱931.2 million, many of which appear to be either incomplete or ghost works (Tribune, 2025). The COA identified ₱341 million worth of projects by three contractors as substandard, overpriced, or simply non-existent (GMA News, 2025).
The consequences of this betrayal are devastating. The Department of Agriculture reported ₱3.53 billion in agricultural losses from flooding worsened by defective or absent flood defenses (BusinessMirror, 2025). Across 14 regions, farmers lost 85,160 metric tons of rice, corn, cassava, and high-value crops. Tens of thousands of poultry and livestock were also wiped out. In Bulacan alone, nearly 1,018 rice farmers and 494 fish farmers suffered losses estimated at ₱50.9 million (PNA, 2025). These are not just statistics. These are lives — smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, rural families — abandoned to the floods while powerful contractors and their political patrons profit.
The government’s response — site inspections, promises of blacklisting, the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” portal — feels hollow. These are reactive measures meant to appease outrage, not to uproot systemic corruption in our public works system (Philstar, 2025). We have heard these promises before. Meanwhile, the people literally drown, both in floodwaters and in hopelessness.
As a person of faith and as one entrusted with the work of peacebuilding, I cannot remain silent. Scripture condemns dishonest scales and false dealings (Proverbs 11:1). The prophet Amos thunders: “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (Amos 5:24). And Jesus himself stood with the poor, defending their dignity against those who devoured the resources of widows and the vulnerable. Corruption in flood control is not simply mismanagement; it is sin against the Creator and violence against the people.
A Faith-Rooted Action Plan
With my colleagues in national religious leadership, I propose the following steps as both civic duty and spiritual calling.
First, we must demand transparency and systemic reform in the Department of Public Works and Highways. When over 6,000 projects cannot even specify what was built, that is not clerical oversight — it is a moral abomination. We must press for full disclosure of project types, designs, performance milestones, and accountability reports.
Second, we must empower citizen oversight. Our congregations, particularly in flood-prone regions, should be trained to monitor project sites, verify contractor claims, and report anomalies. Civic vigilance is part of spiritual solidarity.
Third, we must pursue genuine justice. Contractors and public officials who faked or abandoned projects should face charges of economic sabotage, not just administrative penalties. This is theft on a massive scale, and it must be named and punished accordingly.
Fourth, we must prioritize reparations for victims. Farmers, fisherfolk, and rural communities who have lost billions in crops and livelihoods deserve compensation and rehabilitation. To deny them redress is to deepen their suffering.
Finally, we must sustain moral pressure. Let us bring this issue to our pulpits, prayer gatherings, and public statements. Let us remind our people and our leaders that silence is complicity. Our prophetic responsibility is to ensure that this scandal does not fade into forgotten headlines but becomes a rallying cry for accountability and transformation.
When corruption floods the land, it is the poor who drown first. Our role as civil society leaders, especially those of us rooted in faith, is to turn this flood of corruption into a river of justice. May our voices, our actions, and our solidarity become channels of righteousness until truth prevails and the people are vindicated.
References
BusinessMirror. (2025, August 19). DA: Defective flood control projects weaken PHL agriculture, causing billions in losses. BusinessMirror. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/08/19/da-defective-flood-control-projects-weaken-phl-agriculture-causing-billions-in-losses/
BWorld. (2025, August 11). Marcos: 6,000+ flood control projects lacked key details; bulk awarded to 15 firms. BusinessWorld Online. https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2025/08/11/690832/marcos-6000-flood-control-projects-lacked-key-details-bulk-awarded-to-15-firms/
GMA News. (2025, August 20). COA: ₱341 million worth of flood control projects substandard, non-existent. GMA Network. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/958420/coa-p341-million-worth-of-flood-control-projects-substandard-non-existent/story
Philippine Information Agency (PIA). (2025, August 11). PBBM: 20% of flood control projects worth ₱100B went to only 15 contractors. PIA. https://pia.gov.ph/pbbm-20-of-flood-control-projects-worth-p100b-went-to-only-15-contractors
Philstar. (2025, August 21). To control floods of corruption, abolish DPWH? The Philippine Star. https://qa.philstar.com/opinion/2025/08/21/2466910/control-floods-corruption-abolish-dpwh
Philstar. (2025, August 11). Marcos flags ₱350 billion flood control projects lacking key details. The Philippine Star. https://qa.philstar.com/headlines/2025/08/11/2464730/marcos-flags-p350-billion-flood-control-projects-lacking-key-details
PNA. (2025, August 18). Bulacan flooding causes ₱50.9-M losses in crops, livestock, fisheries. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1254943
Rappler. (2025, August 23). Marcos Jr. inspects flood control projects in Iloilo City. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/philippines/visayas/marcos-jr-inspects-flood-control-projects-iloilo-city-august-2025
Tribune. (2025, August 23). Economic sabotage raps eyed vs. flood scammers. Tribune.net.ph. https://tribune.net.ph/2025/08/23/economic-sabotage-raps-eyed-vs-flood-scammers
Tribune. (2025, August 19). DPWH confirms Bulacan’s ghost flood control projects. Tribune.net.ph. https://tribune.net.ph/2025/08/19/dpwh-confirms-bulacans-ghost-flood-control-projects
