Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. warned that systemic corruption in flood control projects could derail the country's growth and deny Filipinos access to basic services, stressing that accountability and reforms are crucial to national progress. In Episode 5 of his 'Bagong Pilipinas Podcast' released Monday, Marcos said his decision to raise the issue in his fourth State of the Nation Address in July was driven by the magnitude of the problem.
According to Philippines News Agency, the reason Marcos brought it up and made it part of the national discourse was due to the severity of the situation. He emphasized that the impact of corruption extends beyond financial loss, posing life-threatening risks. "There is a great deal of damage that has been caused, not only financial damage or economic damage, but damage, actual damage to people's lives," Marcos said. He highlighted the tragic consequences of poor flood control projects, such as one that collapsed during a flood and resulted in fatalities. "A lousy flood control project that collapsed during the flood that killed a family -- I mean, how can you live with that? I can't live with it," he expressed.
The President revealed that the government has reallocated PHP255.5 billion, initially earmarked for the Department of Public Works and Highways flood control budget for 2026, to essential social and infrastructure services. He criticized past administrations for permitting dubious practices and neglecting safeguards in project execution, including bypassing local government acceptance procedures for national projects. "What has happened has been that we have violated the rules. Those rules exist. And simply we don't -- in the last decade, they stopped following the rules," he stated.
Marcos underscored that addressing this issue is not optional but vital for effective governance. "Nothing will happen to the Philippines if we carry on this way. The economy will never grow properly. People are not going to get help. Schools will not get better. The hospitals will not get better. We're not going to get anywhere. All of these things will just disappear, and we'll just be this little nation that's feeding upon itself. And that's why I brought it up," he remarked.
The President pledged to persist in this campaign against corruption. "I will continue to bring it up . If we resign ourselves to saying that, 'Okay, well, we can't do anything. I only have six years.' If you resign yourself to that, that I can't do anything, you will not do anything," Marcos asserted. He reiterated his commitment to breaking the cycle of inaction observed in previous decades, stating, "I didn't want to be another one. I didn't want to be a part of that kind of attitude, especially in terms of public service."
