Storms, schemes and the system

Flooded with questions: Cebu’s P26-B dilemma

The flash floods that swallowed Cebu following typhoon “Tino’s “ landfall did more than turn streets into angry rivers and homes into waterlogged ruins. They exposed what may be a colossal failure of governance — or worse, a familiar pattern of graft — lurking beneath the surface of the island’s ambitious flood control projects.

Let’s get one thing straight: from 2016 to 2025, Cebu received a staggering P26 billion in flood control funding. In theory, that should have made the province one of the safest places during a typhoon. Instead, it became the face of tragedy — with neighborhoods submerged, homes swept away and over 100,000 Cebuanos displaced.

So, who’s to blame?

It appears that no one wants to say it out loud, but the writing is on the flood-stained wall.

Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro didn’t mince words. He wants the Independent Commission for Infrastructure — the body the President set up to untangle the web of substandard flood projects in Bulacan — to turn its attention to Cebu. And he has a name: QM Builders.

This isn’t just any contractor. QM Builders ranks among the top 15 contractors of the Marcos Jr. administration, having secured a jaw-dropping P7.3 billion worth of DPWH contracts despite posting zero recorded income between 2015 and 2024, according to SEC records. Add to that a capitalization of only P1.2 million, and the plot thickens — like floodwater mixed with silt and suspicion.

And yet, QM Builders keeps building. Or does it?

— Jason Mago

Developing disasters

Cebu is grieving. The dead have not even all been found, and already we hear the familiar line: “Act of God.” No. The heavens did not carve away the mountains. Developers did. With blueprints, politicians and government permits stamped in quiet approval.

We know the name. The wholesome family man. The smiling vlogger-engineer selling “elevated living” carved into a mountainside like an incision. Once, he dismissed concerns: “It’s not a forest, just shrubs.” As if the mountain’s purpose was to accessorize someone’s infinity pool. As if nature must defend her existence.

But this is not about one man alone.

Developers across the country have mastered the art of calling destruction progress. They flatten hills, widen fault lines and sell the view of a sky they are slowly choking. They build on mountains that once protected us — and then blame the rain when the slopes collapse.

They call it “development.” The DENR calls it “approved.” The public pays in lives.

The flood did not come from the sky.

It came from every permit that should not have been signed.

From every politician who pocketed the funds.

From every developer who believed profit was worth more than the land that protects life.

Typhoons are inevitable.

The devastation is man-made.

— Carl Magadia

When it rains, it pours

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday approved the declaration of a state of national calamity following the onslaught of typhoon “Tino”, which battered 10 regions across the country.

Following this, the Chief Executive announced that typhoon “Fung-wong,” to be locally named “Uwan,” is expected to affect 10 to 12 more regions in the coming days.

To respond to the widespread damage, the President has ordered the release of P1.307 trillion in programmed funds for the fourth quarter of the year.

According to Malacañang, this massive allocation will be maximized to support disaster relief, recovery and rehabilitation efforts in affected communities, with a large portion of the budget directed toward social services.

The President further instructed all government agencies to utilize the funds with integrity and efficiency, ensuring that the money will not only aid recovery but also help stimulate the economy

Still, the skeptic in me can’t help but wonder: will these billions truly reach the people who need them most? Time and again, we’ve seen funds meant for relief and rehabilitation get lost in the bureaucracy — or worse, in corruption.

If this budget falls into the wrong hands, Filipinos will continue to drown — and have to keep flowing with the floodwaters of mismanagement and mistrust that have long been drowning our nation.

Indeed, when it rains, it pours.

— Vivienne Angeles