“Ang korupsiyon talaga ang pinaka-root cause of all this [flooding]…ang problema ay maraming nangungurakot.”
(Corruption really is the root cause of all this [flooding]…the problem is that many people are corrupt.)
This is what Rep. Leila de Lima told The LaSallian when she attended the “Baha sa Luneta” protest held at Luneta Park last September 21, joining thousands—including first-time rallygoers, multisectoral groups, lawmakers, and even celebrities—who voiced their outrage against rampant government corruption.
The event also coincided with the 53rd anniversary of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s declaration of Martial Law, a date chosen to symbolize the need to hold those in power accountable, especially when their actions come at the cost of the Filipino people.
What sparked the protest
On-ground interviews with protesters revealed they were fueled by the consequences of the corruption done by contractors and government officials being investigated for wasting tax money on “ghost” flood control projects that failed to protect citizens during heavy downpours.
A report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism revealed that since 2022, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has funded at least P545-billion worth of flood control projects, which often did not materialize into tangible improvements. Moreover, ongoing probes revealed that these funds were often spent on luxury cars and the lavish lifestyles of the families benefiting from the contracts, further enraging the public.
The cost of a broken promise
The government has long vowed to end the country’s recurring floods—years filled with promises of protection, progress, and renewal. However, when storms Crising, Dante, and Emong struck the country and enhanced the Southwest Monsoon, several areas in the country experienced severe flooding.
One protester recalled their experience: “Naranasan ko ‘yun. That was unprecedented. Never pa nangyari na bumaha sa lugar namin because of a thunderstorm…ulan na hindi tumagal nang isang oras. First time ko [r]in lumusong sa baha that day.”
(I experienced that. That was unprecedented. Floods never happen in our place because of a thunderstorm…rain that did not last for an hour. It was also my first time braving through a flood that day.)
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that the flooding has impacted 765,869 families in 65 provinces.
The devastation has called into question the effectiveness of the government’s flood control projects, raising concerns about whether these initiatives truly exist or if public funds have simply been pocketed.
“Nakakainis nga lang kasi ang country natin, talagang flood-prone, but why are we so incapacitated? Kasi ninanakaw nila ‘yung pera. Na–riredirect sa mga luho nila, sa lifestyle nila ‘yung dapat na para sa atin,” the protester remarked.
(It’s disappointing because our country is really flood-prone, but why are we so incapacitated? Because they are stealing the money. What is supposed to be ours goes directly to their luxury and their lifestyle.)
Echoing the crowd’s pleas to channel the public outcry into accountability, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Atty. Renee Co called out government officials and businessmen who profited from the P1.5 trillion worth of kickbacks associated with flood control projects in her speech.
“Kung hindi natin ramdam, ramdam na ng lahat ng [mga] mambabatas, lahat ng DPWH officials, [mga] district engineers, ‘yung mga may pakana ng pambansang budget, [at] lahat ng mga naka-kickback dito sa sistema na kurap,” she expressed.
(If we cannot feel it, it is very much felt by lawmakers, DPWH officials, district engineers, those involved in the national budget, and those who benefited from the corrupted system’s kickback.)
In an interview with The LaSallian, she articulated that inadequate funding was a driving factor behind corruption: “Pinapalobo nila para mas malaki ‘yung kickback ni contractor…[ni] lawmaker, DPWH official, [at] ni COA official…kaya ngayon, naghihirap, nagdu[r]usa, at binabaha ang mamamayang Pilipino.”
(They inflate it so that the contractor’s kickback is bigger. Also kickbacks to lawmakers, DPWH officials, and COA officials…so now, the Filipino people are suffering and [are] being flooded.)
According to Co, relying on the government alone for accountability has led to the betrayal of the Filipino people, citing years of misallocated funds and broken promises.
She also highlighted the importance of being discerning when taking part in protests alongside other sectors of society: “Nandiyan pa rin ‘yung pagiging critical natin at mangyayari lang ang pagbabago kung ang mismong mga kabataan ‘yung narito kasama [ang] iba’t ibang [mga] sektor—’yung gumamit ng kapangyarihan nila para mapanagot [sila].”
(Our critical nature is still there, and change will only happen if the youth themselves are here with others from various sectors—those who use their power to hold them accountable.)
Weighing in from the ground, UP Diliman University Student Council Vice Chairperson Emi Alfonso has pointed out that the nation possesses not only financial wealth but also an abundance of natural resources, and yet the masses receive nothing.
“We can see that it is not just corruption that actually binds us to this sort of suffering, but also bureaucrat capitalism…there is a lack of how much our resources actually trickle down to the Filipino people.”
As floods continue to disrupt the lives of Filipinos and the hollow promises to address corruption remain unmet, the movement that displayed its strength in numbers during the September 21 rallies shows that apathy will only worsen corruption, and accountability can only be demanded by challenging those in power.
