President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. warned that systemic corruption in flood control projects could derail the country’s growth and deprive Filipinos of vital services, stressing that accountability and reform are key to national progress.
In Episode 5 of his “Bagong Pilipinas Podcast” released Monday, Marcos said he raised the issue in his fourth State of the Nation Address due to its severity.
“The reason I brought it up and made it part of the national discourse was quite simply because this could not go on,” Marcos said.
He emphasized that corruption’s damage goes beyond financial losses.
“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,” he said. “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.”
The President revealed that the government has realigned PHP255.5 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ 2026 flood control budget toward essential social and infrastructure services.
Marcos also pointed out that previous administrations allowed questionable practices by neglecting project safeguards.
“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 said.
He reiterated that addressing corruption is fundamental to 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,” Marcos said.
Vowing to continue the campaign, he added, “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.”
“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,” he concluded.