‘Rain, rain go away, come again another day.’
This is a nursery rhyme we learned as children. But for millions of Filipinos today, particularly those living in Metro Manila and other flood-prone communities, there is nothing amusing about seeing dark clouds gather. The rains have again brought flooded streets, monstrous traffic jams, stranded commuters, damaged homes and businesses forced to close.
Certainly, climate change has a great deal to do with increasingly intense and unpredictable weather. We are seeing extreme rainfall not only in the Philippines but across the world. But climate change cannot be blamed for everything. No matter which way we look at it, the floods keep coming back despite billions upon billions of pesos supposedly spent on flood-control projects over the years. And every time the water rises, the flood-control scandal rises with it.
For ordinary Filipinos, the question is painfully simple: ‘We paid for flood control; why are we still flooded?’ That question becomes even more infuriating when people hear about ‘ghost’ or unfinished projects, defective infrastructure and allegations that public money intended to protect communities ended up in private pockets.
The government’s own report indicates the scale of the problem. Of the flood control projects inspected, thousands were found to have issues, including projects classified as defective, unfinished or ghost. Authorities have also frozen, preserved or recovered billions of pesos in funds and assets linked to the investigation.
That there has been progress should be acknowledged. Cases have been filed, contractors, senior government officials and lawmakers have been charged or detained. The Sandiganbayan is now handling numerous flood-control and infrastructure-related cases. The Department of Justice reported that P841 million in cash from anomalous projects had been recovered and remitted to the National Treasury.
In his fifth State of the Nation Address last July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed that nearly P25 billion in public funds and assets had been recovered, frozen or preserved in connection with the scandal.
More importantly, the President made a declaration that went straight to the heart of public concern: ‘Hindi ako pangulo ng aking pamilya. Hindi ako pangulo ng aking kaibigan. Ako ay pangulo ng Pilipinas.’
Those words carried particular weight because Filipinos want to believe that friendship, family connections, wealth, political influence or position will not put anyone above the law.
But there is another reality government must recognize: people are becoming impatient.
Investigations, hearings, affidavits and court proceedings are necessary. Due process must always be observed. We cannot convict anyone through publicity, congressional hearings or social media. Evidence must be gathered properly, and cases must be strong enough to stand in court.
But at the same time, justice cannot move so slowly that people begin to believe nothing will eventually happen. President Marcos himself said the work is not finished, and put it very clearly: ‘Unfortunately, the more we look, the more we find.’
That is precisely why the government cannot afford to lose momentum. The flood control scandal has become much more than an investigation into questionable infrastructure contracts. It has become a test of public confidence in our institutions and, ultimately, in government itself.
People need to see that those who stole public money, if proven guilty in court, will actually go to jail. They need to see illegally acquired assets recovered. Contractors who have cheated the government should never again be allowed to profit from taxpayers.
But accountability cannot end with prosecution – the system that had allowed this to happen must be fixed. Every flood control project should be transparent, properly engineered, independently inspected and publicly monitored. Technology can allow citizens to know where a project is located, how much it costs, who built it, when it was completed and whether it actually exists.
And we should remember that solving Metro Manila’s flooding requires more than building concrete walls and pumping stations. Drainage systems need modernization. Waterways must remain clear. Garbage disposal must improve. Local and national governments must coordinate. Urban planning must recognize that Metro Manila has grown enormously while much of its basic infrastructure was designed for another era.
Climate change makes these challenges more urgent, but it must not become a convenient excuse for corruption, incompetence or neglect.
Filipinos understand that government cannot stop the rains and that exceptionally severe weather can overwhelm even properly designed infrastructure. What is unacceptable is discovering that infrastructure meant to protect them was poorly constructed, unfinished or worse – existed only on paper.
The issue cannot be treated as yesterday’s political controversy. Flooding affects rich and poor alike, but its heaviest burden falls on ordinary families who can least afford to lose a day’s wages, furniture, appliances or livelihood. For them, effective flood control is not politics – it is protection.
That is why this scandal will not simply disappear from public consciousness. Every downpour reminds people of it. Every flooded street, and every Filipino wading through dirty floodwaters brings back questions on where those billions went.
The President deserves credit for exposing the scandal and allowing the investigation to follow the evidence wherever it leads. Now comes the harder and more important part: finishing what was started.
The rains will eventually stop. The floodwaters will recede. The streets will dry and life will return to normal. But the flood control scandal must never be allowed to simply recede with the water. Government cannot stop the rain – but it can stop the stealing.
And until Filipinos see justice served and flood control projects that actually work, every storm will bring back the same question: The rains came down, the water went up. Where did our money go?