The President seeks 107.4 billion pesos for flood mitigation in 2027, up from 2.49 billion this year, as the country’s biggest recent corruption scandal continues and critics warn the money could become a new source of patronage
From Drought To Deluge
MANILA. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is asking Congress to approve 107.4 billion pesos for flood mitigation in 2027, up from 2.49 billion pesos in 2026, an increase of roughly 4,200 percent, according to the Khaleej Times report on the proposed flood control budget. The Department of Public Works and Highways proposes 83.84 billion pesos for local flood mitigation programs and 19 billion for ongoing foreign-assisted projects. No new flood control projects were approved in 2026, and the increase follows severe floods earlier this year.
The proposal comes amid what the Khaleej Times describes as the country’s biggest recent corruption scandal, involving substandard and ghost projects. Across the archipelago, contractors greeted the news with the reverent silence of people who have just seen a very large rainbow, with a very large pot at the end.
Ghost Projects, Explained
For readers unfamiliar with the term, a ghost project is a public works project that exists fully on paper, receives full funding and then fails to exist in reality. In recent investigations, flood control projects drew particular scrutiny, with allegations that some were never built, some were substandard and some may have been built mainly in the imagination of whoever signed the invoice. Filipinos have watched the hearings with the grim fascination of a nation discovering that its levees were, in some cases, more theoretical than physical.
A barangay councillor in Bulacan, a province hit hard by flooding, said residents had learned to identify ghost projects by a simple test. If there is a sign saying the project is complete, she said, and your house is still underwater, you have found a ghost project. Some barangays have three. We are thinking of offering tours.
The Reform Promises
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, appointed after the scandal surfaced in 2025, has promised stricter transparency and accountability, with tougher documentary and technical requirements for projects. He has acknowledged that stricter requirements could slow implementation, which critics have welcomed as the first time in Philippine history that slow public works might be a good sign.
Legislator Romeo Momo Sr said the agency must consult local officials and residents before projects begin, a suggestion that drew applause from flood-hit communities who have long wondered who, exactly, was consulted when projects were planned for their streets without anyone knocking on their doors.
The Opposition Warns
Makabayan Coalition lawmakers Antonio Tinio, Sarah Elago and Renee Co warned that restoring large flood control funds risks systemic plunder, describing the request as a potential source of corruption and patronage at the expense of basic social services. Their warning was echoed, less formally, in sari-sari stores, jeepneys and family group chats across the country, where the phrase one hundred and seven billion was being repeated with the kind of disbelief usually reserved for basketball scores.
A retired schoolteacher in Pampanga said she supported flood control in principle. We need it, she said. Every year we swim. But with the last money, nobody knows where it went. This time, I want a receipt. Not one receipt. Every receipt. I want the receipts laminated.
The Contractor Economy
Satirists have long observed that in many countries, the public works budget is less a list of projects than a weather forecast for political donations. A 4,200 percent increase, in that light, is less a budget line than a hurricane warning. Construction firms that had quietly scaled back activity after the scandal are reportedly dusting off their bidding documents, hard hats and, in some cases, their friendships.
A construction industry veteran in Quezon City, speaking anonymously because he would like to keep winning contracts, described the mood. Everyone is very excited, he said. Very, very excited. But this time, we will be honest. Completely honest. The government says the rules are stricter. So we will follow the rules. Then he paused. Mostly.
Budget watchers have also noted the gap in the numbers. The DPWH’s two main items add up to roughly 102.8 billion pesos, leaving about 4.6 billion not accounted for in the Khaleej Times breakdown. Online sleuths, who have become amateur auditors since the scandal broke, immediately began speculating about where the remainder might go, with suggestions ranging from administrative costs to a very large umbrella.
Floods Are Real
None of this diminishes the seriousness of the problem. The Philippines faces some of the most severe flooding risks in the world, from typhoons, monsoon rains and rising seas. Floods kill people, destroy homes, wipe out crops and cost the economy enormously. Effective flood control, from drainage to river management to early warning systems, saves lives. That is precisely why corruption in flood control is so damaging. When money for flood protection disappears, people pay with their homes and sometimes their lives.
What Filipinos Want
Polls and protests in recent months have shown widespread public anger over the scandal, including large demonstrations demanding accountability. Filipinos want flood protection. They also want proof that the money will actually become drains, dikes and pumping stations rather than mansions, luxury cars and very expensive birthday parties.
The Last Word
In a flood-prone village in Malabon, a fisherman watched the tide creep up the street, as it does most months, and considered the news. One hundred and seven billion, he said slowly. That is a lot of money. If they spend it on walls, we will be dry. If they spend it on ghosts, we will be wet. Either way, he added, rolling up his trousers, I am keeping my boots.