Recent non-stop rains inundated Metro Manila and nearby urban areas in the Philippines, revealing not just the scale and stench of the garbage problem but also the lingering impact of corruption-tainted flood control projects. 

For almost two weeks, severe flooding led to the cancellation of classes, stranded thousands of workers, and forced the evacuation of residents in low-lying areas. Fast rising water levels caused dams to overspill, which worsened the flooding in the country’s largest urban center.

As government units scrambled to extend assistance to flooded communities, it also set off a lively debate on who should bear responsibility for the disaster. Many immediately saw a connection between faulty and substandard infrastructure projects and the flooding problem. It revived public outrage against corrupt lawmakers and contractors who used the climate crisis emergency to push forward flood-control projects, which later turned out to be defective and in some cases even non-existent.

Citizens actively documented the flooding in their areas and called out officials for their inaction and involvement in the flood-control scam. They also pointed out the slow pace of prosecution and the selective targeting of politicians implicated in the controversy. Sensing widespread discontent, the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the public that irregularities in flood-control projects will continue to be investigated.

Aside from affirming the urgency of addressing corruption, Marcos also highlighted the country’s garbage problem when he inspected pumping stations and coastal areas swamped with a “sea of trash.” In one city alone, three days of “clearing operations” collected 400 tons of garbage in the waters of Manila Bay, enough to fill 72 dump trucks. Later, the government noted the crisis in waste disposal as it enjoined the public to foster a “culture of discipline” in managing trash.

Marcos insisted that flood control will be rendered useless if garbage continues to pollute water systems. He then pushed for the building of waste-to-energy plants as a solution to the problem.

Environmentalists were quick to remind the president that instead of blaming the public for littering, he should focus on the roots of the garbage catastrophe linked to “the relentless, unchecked flood of single-use plastics being pumped into the economy by major corporations.” They also called the plan to build waste-to-energy facilities “a false solution” since “burning waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and can release hazardous pollutants.”

The floodwaters have already receded, but debates about what caused the disaster are expected to continue as Congress is set to deliberate the Marcos administration’s proposed 2027 national budget. Despite the unresolved anomalous flood-control contracts, more than a hundred billion pesos have been earmarked for this type of spending in 2027. In the Senate, some lawmakers are looking for a master plan that will guide the government’s flood control projects. Protests could erupt if budget scrutiny uncovers that the corruption-prone pork barrel system remains intact.

Meanwhile, Marcos’ endorsement of waste-to-energy facilities could spotlight ongoing projects in Metro Manila that are being fiercely opposed by residents threatened with displacement and mobility restrictions.

The Marcos government sought to assert its narrative that it is proactive and efficient in responding to the recent flooding disaster. It also offered emergency aid while laying down long-term solutions to the recurring flooding problem. This is intended to counter the arguments of the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte, who seeks to undermine the impeachment process by insisting that people’s everyday concerns like surviving the flooding should be given more attention.

What the supporters of Marcos and Duterte fail to acknowledge is that both leaders are equally liable for their key roles in the rollout of corruption programs. Both are also accountable for the flood control controversy.

As the nation braces for another week of monsoon rains, the recent flooding disaster lead may lead more people to realize that corruption is the biggest trash in society, and the way to remove it is to pursue accountability, good governance, and justice.