Study: Scandal exposes government’s corrupt core

The P546-billion flood control scandal, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed had 15 contractors cornering P100 billion worth of projects, is merely the tip of the iceberg of the deeply rooted corruption in government, according to a report released yesterday by the pro-transparency Right to Know Right Now (R2KRN) Coalition.

The report written by veteran journalists Malou Mangahas and Mornie Mamorno said that 80 percent of the balance, or P446 billion, of unexamined projects revealed the stretch, depth, and enormity of even more irregularities.

The report, quoting an unnamed former senior Commission on Audit official, indicated the corruption on the national level may be horrifying. Still, the thievery at the local government level involves bigger amounts and more players.

The network at the local level is more systemic and difficult to crack, according to the report.

Research, data analysis, and interviews with contractors and public works officials conducted by R2KRN revealed that the corruption extends far and wide across the nation.

In some provinces, cities, and towns, the data showed local politicians and their clans have repeatedly awarded multiple contracts to the same apparently favored companies, including some that their family members owned or co-owned.

This trend was apparent in Davao City and the provinces of Sorsogon, Cebu, Palawan, Isabela, Leyte, Cavite and Ilocos Norte, as well as the Bicol Region, and the city of Manila — bailiwicks of the country’s more prominent political clans, according to the report.

Ties that bind: politics, corruption

Based on the report, the home regions of top politicians with recognizable names had been allotted three to 20 times more funds for flood control projects from July 2022 to May 2025.

The report also found that some provinces that are not among the country’s most flood-prone received more funds for flood control projects, while those usually inundated received less.

Monies allotted to flood control projects, including through congressional insertions and unprogrammed funds, saw an upsurge in 2023 and 2024 when Senators Francis Escudero and Joel Villanueva served as Senate President and Majority Floor Leader, respectively. Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co was the head of the appropriations committee.

It noted differences in the modus operandi, or “business model,” of the top contractors, with Zaldy Co’s Sunwest Corporation opting for big-value contracts but fewer in number. While the companies of Cezarah “Sarah” and Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya bid for as many contracts as they could, both big and small ones, across nearly all the regions of the country.

Political ties crucial

Other construction leaders have emerged, most of whom have either real or apparent ties to local and national politicians, the report said.

The allocations for flood control projects from July 2022 to May 2025 across the country’s regions varied significantly.

Top-ranked Central Luzon was allotted P98 billion, in contrast to only P5.8 billion to Zamboanga Peninsula, the cellar dweller.

Bulacan province topped the list of flood control project recipients, with a budget of P28.6 billion, followed by Cebu, Isabela, Camarines Sur, and the city of Manila.

Notably, the value of the flood control projects in the top provinces and cities jumped six to eight times between July 2022 and May 2025.

Projects in Bulacan grew from P3.1 billion in July 2022 to P28.56 billion in May 2025; in Cebu, from P3.01 billion to P19.56 billion; in Isabela, from P2.6 billion to P19.25 billion; in Camarines Sur, from P2.93 billion to P16.81 billion; and in Manila, from P3.5 billion to P14.46 billion.

A similar uptrend can be observed in the case of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s home province of Ilocos Norte, where projects increased from P463.67 million in July 2022 to P8.72 billion by the end of 2024. There were no project entries, though, for January to May this year.

The Dutertes’ bailiwick of Davao City and Davao del Sur was similarly blessed with flood control projects valued at P2.19 billion in July 2022, rising to P7.69 billion by May 2025, according to the report.

Albay’s P2.95 billion in July 2022 rose to P11.16 billion by May 2025. Representative Co and Senator Escudero both hail from the Bicol Region, the report pointed out.