'MARAMING MAGNANAKAW!' Jack Logan slams flood control corruption
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Filipino filmmaker and social media personality Jack Logan has used his platform to condemn the systemic corruption plaguing the country’s flood control projects—an issue that continues to leave countless communities vulnerable to disasters.
In a statement that quickly went viral, Logan wrote: “Mayaman ang Pilipinas, marami lang magnanakaw!” (“The Philippines is rich, but there are too many thieves.”) His words struck a chord with many Filipinos, echoing long-standing frustrations over how public funds are mishandled in infrastructure projects meant to protect lives and livelihoods.
Flood control has been one of the Philippines’ most urgent infrastructure priorities. Every year, billions are allocated to build drainage systems, dikes, and flood barriers. Yet despite these massive budgets, flooding remains a recurring problem.
Investigations by state auditors and watchdog groups have repeatedly revealed a troubling pattern: overpriced contracts, incomplete or abandoned works, and even so-called “ghost projects.” Instead of reducing disaster risks, these failures magnify the impact of typhoons and monsoon rains, displacing families, destroying property, and crippling local economies.
For Logan—an Asian Television Award nominee with more than two million online followers—corruption is not just a political issue but a humanitarian one.
“Every peso lost to corruption is a community left vulnerable to floods,” he stressed. “The Philippines has resources and resilience. What hinders progress is not poverty, but systemic theft of public funds.”
His message resonated widely, especially as climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of floods. For many, Logan’s remarks capture the urgency of demanding accountability in public works spending.
Logan’s statement comes as calls for government transparency grow louder. Civil society groups, advocacy networks, and media watchdogs have long urged stronger oversight mechanisms to ensure infrastructure investments truly benefit communities.
His message adds weight to this push, reminding leaders and citizens alike that beyond engineering solutions, real progress requires dismantling the culture of corruption.
Born Cris Jason Santos in Marikina and raised in San Antonio, Zambales, Jack Logan has built a reputation as a filmmaker, writer, and cultural storyteller. He gained recognition for directing The 12 Days Saga, a viral trilogy with more than 25 million views, and continues to create works rooted in historical and social narratives.
Beyond filmmaking, Logan has become one of the Philippines’ most influential digital voices, using his platform not only to entertain but also to spark conversations on governance, culture, and national identity.
