Philippines Drowning in Corruption: Billions Siphoned from Flood Control Projects

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Philippines Drowning in Corruption: Billions Siphoned from Flood Control Projects

By Bing Jabadan – Thenationweek.com  l August 27, 2025  

MANILA, Philippines – As floodwaters subside, a far more insidious crisis has gripped the Philippines: a culture of systemic corruption within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and its network of contractors.

While communities struggle with submerged homes and crippled infrastructure, allegations of embezzlement and kickbacks are surfacing, suggesting a deep-seated rot that transforms public service into a lucrative business.

Sources within the DPWH paint a picture of pervasive graft where even low-level employees allegedly amass significant wealth through their share of kickbacks in flood control projects.

The code “Eddie at Patty” – a reference to shared profits – is reportedly a common phrase within the DPWH, underscoring the widespread nature of the practice.

The culture of complicity, fueled by the “everybody happy” mantra, allows for the systematic siphoning of public funds, leaving critical infrastructure projects perpetually underfunded and shoddily executed.

While DPWH officials deny allegations of corruption, the recurring and devastating floods that cripple the nation even after moderate rainfall serve as a damning indictment of systemic failures.

The irony is particularly stark, considering the sacrifices made by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who endure hardship abroad to support their families and contribute to the national economy.

These “kleptocrats,” as some observers call them, are accused of brazenly plundering the nation’s coffers, enriching themselves at the expense of the very people they are sworn to serve.

On National Heroes Day today (Aug. 25, 2025), a palpable sense of disillusionment hangs in the air.

“If our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, could only rise from his grave, he would use his pen not to write, but to expose and punish these corrupt officials,” an OFW lamented.

This disturbing inversion of national values – where whistleblowers are branded as “idiots” while those who engage in corruption are lauded as “heroes” – underscores the urgent need for real reform and renewed commitment to accountability and transparency within the DPWH and other branches of government.

Will Justice Prevail?

Amid investigations into the flood control budget corruption, many Filipinos express doubt that any “big fish” will be prosecuted and contractors imprisoned.

Past investigations have often resulted in low-ranking employees becoming sacrificial lambs, while high-ranking officials escape unscathed.

The pervasive corruption, some argue, gnaws at the very foundations of government, extending even to the judiciary, where justice itself is allegedly for sale.

The fear is that even with compelling evidence; those who have amassed billions in kickbacks can simply buy their way out of accountability.

The question remains: will floodwaters finally wash away the tide of corruption, or will the cycle of impunity continue to drown the nation’s progress, leaving Filipinos to face the next downpour with despair?