DPWH Flood Control Scam: Why We Should Be Angry and Choose Better Leaders

DPWH Flood Control Scam: Why We Should Be Disappointed and Choose Better Leaders

It’s almost common knowledge to Filipinos when we talk about corruption inside the government offices. We already know that some employees get side payments through favors for contractors. We also know that some of them work with contractors to fund their personal needs.

But I was not expecting the size of corruption that some employees are now being exposed for. The investigation is still ongoing, but my bias is clear: most, if not all, of those accused are guilty of high-level corruption.

Our taxes are being wasted. That is why I’m writing this article — to vent my anger and to show how some Filipinos keep feeding this cycle of corruption.

What’s happening with DPWH?

The latest scandal is the DPWH flood control issue. The department and some of its employees are under fire for anomalies on substandard projects, and even ghost projects, especially in Bulacan.

For those who don’t know, ghost projects are projects that never happened but were declared finished on paper with full payment given.

Early investigations in the Senate and Congress revealed billions of pesos in cash handed out to DPWH officials. Contractors controlled by DPWH employees were given projects, but the actual work was done — or faked — by corrupt employees. These are the same employees who earn middle-class salaries but own luxury watches, drive sports cars, and spend millions in casinos under fake names.

The greed of a few has embarrassed the whole department and insulted the honest workers who only want to feed their families.

Why is this blood boiling?

Because the money came from our hard-earned taxes. And worse, the poor suffer most from these crimes.

Every year during typhoon season, many parts of the country are under water. Children are kept from learning because bridges collapse or rivers overflow. Families lose their homes in muddy floods. Worst of all, people die — both those trapped in their houses and rescuers trying to save them.

But instead of helping, these officials killed their conscience. They used the money to make themselves and their friends rich and powerful.

What’s the big realization?

For a long time, I thought the Philippines was poor. It’s not. For a long time, I thought there was no master plan. There is.

The problem is greed. The money and plans are there, but corrupt officials block progress.

Look at Oriental Mindoro. The province created a joint study with local and foreign experts to solve flooding. The plan would cost ₱12 billion. Between 2022 and 2025, they were allocated ₱30 billion — enough to fund it. But the plan was ignored. Instead, DPWH pushed their own substandard or ghost projects.

The lesson? The Philippines has money, and we have good plans. But a few people steal it.

Can corruption ever end?

No country in the world is free from corruption. It is part of the battle between good and evil. Some officials have allowed evil to win in their hearts.

But we can still limit corruption. We can make it smaller, until we feel real progress in our lives. This won’t happen overnight, but it can happen if we do what is right and wait patiently for change.

The key? Choose the right leaders. Don’t vote for people with a history of corruption. Don’t vote for ex-convicts, drug lords, or gambling bosses. Don’t be fooled by dances, theatrics, and empty promises.

And most of all, don’t sell your vote. The money they give you during elections comes from schools, flood projects, hospitals, and medicine that never get built. Every peso you take is a peso stolen from your future.

The bottom line

The Senate and Congress investigation into the DPWH flood control issue should open our eyes. It’s time to check the quality of leaders we put in power. It’s time to say yes to good governance and no to vote buying.

If we keep making bad choices, it’s always the poor — and all of us — who will suffer.