26/09/2025
Dapat bawiin ang ang bilyon-bilyong pera na ninakaw sa flood control at ilagay sa mga programa sa pabahay, pagkain, edukasyon, pangkabuhayan, at kalusugan.
Lalo na ngayon sa gitna ng kahirapan at kawalang-katiyakan sa paninirahan ng mga Informal Settler Families (ISFs) sa mga kalunsuran at sa mga magsasasaka at mangingisda na nagbibigay ng pagkain ngunit walang sapat na makain at kabuhayan o pag-ahon sa buhay ay nagawa pang walang-awa na nakawin nang sobra-sobra ang pera ng bayan!
SARANAY Association
π¦π§ππ§ππ ππ‘π§: NAPC 14 basic sectors echo call: βWalang mahirap kung walang korap!β
The 14 basic sectors of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) strongly condemn the widespread corruption that has plagued flood control projects across the country. Recent reports of ghost projects, substandard construction, overpriced contracts, and political patronage in these critical initiatives are not isolated failures but systemic issues that deprive the poor of safety, dignity, and opportunity. These acts are not merely technical oversights but deliberate betrayals of the Filipino peopleβs trust.
This corruption goes against the principles of all 14 basic sectors and undermines their decades-long work in combatting poverty. Farmers and fisherfolk lose crops, fisheries, and arable land to recurrent floods, while urban poor communities bear the brunt of unsafe housing built along waterways. Filipino workers and migrants face displacement as factories, workplaces, and transport systems are disrupted. Indigenous peoples suffer the erosion of their ancestral lands.
Women, youth, and children are disproportionately affected, enduring heightened risks to health and education as schools and communities are submerged. Persons with disabilities and senior citizens face the greatest danger during evacuations and are often neglected in disaster response efforts. Meanwhile, non-governmental organizations, cooperatives, and ordinary citizens are left to pick up the pieces in the face of government negligence.
The billions of pesos lost to corruption could have been invested in building resilient communities, funding healthcare services, supporting education, and creating decent jobs. Instead of serving as a safeguard for the vulnerable, flood control projects have become a tool for the enrichment of a few at the expense of the many. This betrayal of public trust demands immediate and decisive action.
In light of these revelations, we call for the following urgent measures:
1. Criminal accountability: Third-party contractors and public officials found complicit in corrupt activities must face criminal charges, immediate dismissal from government service, and permanent disqualification from future government contracts.
2. Transparency in government contracts: All contracts, budgets, timelines, and details of implementing contractors for flood control projects should be made publicly available online and accessible to communities to ensure transparency and accountability.
3. Public access to congressional deliberations: All Congressional budget deliberations, particularly those concerning infrastructure and anti-poverty allocations, must be livestreamed and made publicly accessible to prevent backdoor deals and promote full accountability.
4. Mandatory public disclosure of financial records: Public officials must disclose their Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs), along with all records of financial dealings and declared business interests. These must be made publicly available, regularly verified, and audited as mandated by Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
5. Scrutiny of other flagship government projects: Other agencies with large budgets and major infrastructure projects must also be closely monitored.
6. Formation of an inter-agency monitoring committee: An inter-agency project monitoring committee, comprising representatives from non-governmental and peopleβs organizations, must be established to verify the existence, operational status, and effectiveness of completed flood control projects.
The 14 basic sectors stand united in demanding full accountability, transparency, and justice. We call for immediate action and will not allow the marginalized to bear the consequences of corruption and impunity any longer. The Filipino people deserve better and we will continue to fight for a government that serves them with integrity and responsibility.
