The multibillion-peso flood control scandal in the Philippines has ignited a political battleground across the nation.
As communities suffer from recurrent inundations, the massive allegations of ghost projects, license-renting schemes, and multi-billion-peso kickbacks have forced every major political force in the country to take a stance. Rather than presenting a unified front against corruption, the Philippine political landscape has split along distinct tactical and ideological lines.
The Marcos Jr. Administration
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has framed his administration as the primary whistleblower taking on a deeply entrenched system. Malacañang has sought to project a stern, anti-corruption stance while insulating the current presidency from long-standing systemic failures.
Enforcement and Recovery:
Through executive action, the administration created the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to audit red-flagged Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects, which resulted in criminal and administrative recommendations against scores of individuals and the recovery or freezing of nearly ?25 billion in corrupt assets.
Budgetary Freezes and Vetoes:
Seeking to signal fiscal responsibility, Marcos vetoed billions in redundant infrastructure line items and instituted a policy halting new flood control appropriations until the ?350 billion in existing, unspent funds from previous years are fully audited and accounted for.
Shifting Historical Blame:
Deflecting accusations that these anomalies flared up on his watch, Marcos publicly traced the root of the “ghost project” networks back to 2017. He explicitly argued that the previous administration was aware of systemic corruption in flood control infrastructure but failed to hold key actors accountable, leaving Malacañang to clean up the mess.
Pro-Duterte forces and allies
Political figures and lawmakers aligned with former President Rodrigo Duterte view the ongoing investigations through a sharply different lens, characterizing the crackdown as a politically weaponized campaign aimed at dismantling their political machinery.
Allegations of Selective Prosecution:
Duterte allies have repeatedly pushed back, arguing that the administration is using the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Ombudsman to selectively target their strongholds while insulating administration-friendly figures.
Counter-Audits and Rejection of Charges:
Facing legislative scrutiny over multi-billion-peso infrastructure projects in Mindanao, representatives from the faction have declared that their bailiwicks “have nothing to hide,” challenging authorities to inspect physical sites. They argue that oversight of current budgets sits squarely with the active administration that signed them into law.
Focusing on Current Failures:
Pro-Duterte voices continue to direct public attention toward delayed flagship drainage and spillway projects across Metro Manila and Central Luzon, demanding accountability for current execution failures rather than past allocations.
Akbayan and the Liberal Party
Occupying the centrist opposition, Akbayan and the Liberal Party (LP) have focused their efforts on institutional integrity, demanding structural reforms and the immediate arrest of high-level political masterminds rather than just mid-level engineers.
Demanding “Big Fish” Accountability:
LP and Akbayan leadership have led public demonstrations emphasizing that low-level DPWH engineers should not serve as scapegoats while political masterminds and major private contractors remain unpunished.
Opposing the Dissolution of Oversight:
Liberal Party and Akbayan figures strongly criticized decisions to wind down dedicated fact-finding bodies like the ICI, arguing that halting specialized commissions stalls crucial investigative momentum.
Targeting “Unprogrammed Funds”:
Both groups have campaigned aggressively against the inclusion of multi-billion-peso “unprogrammed funds” and unmonitored line-item insertions in national budgets, identifying these fiscal mechanisms as the primary breeding grounds for corrupt infrastructure deals.
The MAKABAYAN Bloc and progressive grassroots forces
Taking a systemic approach, the MAKABAYAN bloc (including ACT Teachers, Gabriela, and Kabataan) along with progressive grassroots groups treat the scandal as evidence of systemic plunder that implicates both past and present political dynasties.
Targeting District Irregularities:
The bloc filed “House Resolution 464,” explicitly demanding a congressional probe into 80 red-flagged flood control contracts worth ?4.44 billion along the Davao and Matina rivers awarded between 2019 and 2022. Their preliminary analyses revealed distinct patterns of ghost projects, double funding, and missing line-item appropriations.
Exposing Congressional Insertions:
Progressive lawmakers highlighted that 49 of the red-flagged contracts in the south stemmed from unprogrammed congressional insertions, illustrating how discretionary funding mechanisms are routinely manipulated across different administrations.
Demanding a “No Sacred Cows” Standard:
Grassroots forces have consistently rejected what they view as a performative feud between rival ruling factions. They assert that true accountability requires prosecuting corrupt actors equally—whether they are linked to the current Marcos administration or the previous Duterte presidency—while prioritizing immediate relief and genuine climate-resilient infrastructure for affected communities. (davaotoday.com)
