When floods hit, so does public anger. And almost inevitably, flood control projects take the blame: overpriced, poorly built, endlessly funded, and seemingly designed to fail. The outrage is understandable. But singling out flood control as the corruption-prone sector misses…
Lawmakers Linked to DPWH Contracts: Probe Urges Charges in Flood-Control Kickback Scheme
MANILA, Philippines โ Reports linking lawmakers to lucrative public works contracts have reignited concerns over entrenched corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as an independent probe recommends criminal charges against several high-profile politicians allegedly involved in…
Death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi rises to 114; corruption in flood-control projects blamed for devastation
MANILA, Philippines โ Typhoon Kalmaegi, the deadliest storm to hit the Philippines this year, has claimed at least 114 lives and left 127 others missing after triggering massive floods and landslides across Cebu and nearby provinces, authorities reported on Friday,…
Analysis: Why Billions in Flood Control Projects Still Leave Us ‘Flooded to the Max’
Every time floodwaters rise, so does public anger. Social media fills with a familiar lament: โMulti-billion pesos in flood control projects, yet weโre still flooded to the max!โ The frustration is justifiedโbut the equation doesnโt quite add up as people…
Opinion: The Flood Control Scandal Should Spark Procurement Reform Across Government
The ongoing investigation into the alleged anomalies in the Department of Public Works and Highwaysโ (DPWH) flood control projects should not end with identifying who pocketed public funds or who signed off on questionable contracts. The scandal must serve as…
Faustino โBojieโ Dy III elected new House Speaker, succeeds Martin Romualdez
MANILA, Philippines โ Itโs official: the House of Representatives has a new leader. Rep. Faustino โBojieโ Dy III of Isabelaโs 6th District on Wednesday, September 17, was elected Speaker of the 20th Congress with an overwhelming 253 votes โ a…
Ghost projects, ghost growth
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto wasn’t just pointing out numbers when he said ghost flood control projects have bled the economy of up to P118.5 billion since 2023. He was exposing the scale of a rot that has become almost routine…
Ghost flood control projects bled economy of up to P118.5B โ Recto
MANILA, Philippines โ Corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highwaysโ (DPWH) flood control projects has cost the Philippine economy up to P118.5 billion in just two years, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said. โBecause of ghost projects, our economy…
OPINION I Another DPWH head rolls, but will corruption ever end?
THE resignation of Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan is being spun as โcommand responsibility.โ But letโs be blunt: this is not accountability, this is damage control. Billions of pesos have been poured into so-called flood control projects, yet our…
Bonoan resigns as DPWH chief; Dizon appointed amid corruption probe
MANILA, Philippines โ Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan has resigned from his post effective September 1, 2025, as the agency faces heightened scrutiny over alleged anomalies in flood control projects. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed on Monday, September…
Marcos keeps trust in DPWH chief Bonoan amid flood control project mess
MANILA, Philippines โ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continues to back Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan despite mounting calls for his resignation over alleged ghost and overpriced flood control projects nationwide. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Wednesday,…
DPWH completes โฑ28.8-M river wall in Zamboanga Sibugay amid flood control project controversies
ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY โ The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed a โฑ28.8-million river wall in Siay town, saying it will strengthen flood defenses and protect nearby communities from seasonal inundation. The DPWH-Zamboanga Peninsula announced on Wednesday, August…
