The Philippines is confronting allegations of massive corruption in flood control projects, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and both houses of Congress launching separate inquiries.
Lawmakers warned that widespread fraud may have siphoned off billions of pesos from infrastructure budgets meant to protect one of the world’s most typhoon-prone nations.
The House of Representatives infrastructure committee opened a nationally televised hearing Tuesday, while the Senate’s blue ribbon committee resumed its investigation on Monday.
Legislators grilled private contractors over alleged “ghost projects” and suspicious wealth, including a fleet of 28 luxury cars linked to one businesswoman and her family. She denied wrongdoing but faced sharp criticism from senators.
Rep. Elajiah San Fernando said more than 308 billion pesos ($5.4 billion) had been set aside for flood control and water management this year alone, warning that misuse of such funds would constitute corruption “of the grandest kind.”
Another lawmaker, Walfredo Dimaguila Jr., accused past public works officials of poorly designed projects that worsened flooding in his province of Laguna.
Recent typhoons and monsoon rains have underscored the stakes. In July, flooding displaced over 300,000 people, damaged thousands of homes, and left at least 26 dead.
Villages near Manila were left under knee-deep water, with residents navigating streets by boat.
President Marcos, after inspecting unfinished or substandard flood projects in Bulacan province, pledged to create an independent commission to pursue criminal charges.
He revealed that more than 6,000 of 9,000 flood control projects implemented during his three years in office carried questionable specifications.
A new government website set up to gather citizen reports has already been flooded with complaints.
Senators also questioned another contractor, Mark Allan Arevalo, about allegations of fake projects, but he invoked his right against self-incrimination.
The investigations have stirred public anger, with church leaders urging Filipinos to demand accountability.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David called on youth to fight corruption, saying it was ordinary citizens—not wealthy officials or contractors—who suffer most when flood defenses fail.