A coalition of 30 of the Philippines’ top business organizations has issued a powerful call to action, denouncing the widespread corruption linked to government flood control projects and demanding full accountability from those involved.
In a strongly worded joint statement, the groups condemned the alleged graft within key government institutions, including the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), local government units (LGUs), and the Commission on Audit (COA).
“In the strongest terms possible, we hereby declare our outrage, disgust and disappointment,” the statement read, highlighting what the signatories described as “shameful, unabated, continuing and excessive acts of graft and corruption.” They emphasized that such actions are a “crime against our people, especially those who continue to live in dire poverty.”
While acknowledging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent moves to address the issue, including his public rebuke of corrupt officials and his announcement to create an independent body to probe the scandal, the business sector expressed doubt that reforms would succeed without full accountability. “We are concerned that the guilty among these officials will continue their merry way of robbing the people… betraying the public trust,” they said.
The outrage follows revelations made by the President that just 15 contractors cornered 20% of the P545-billion flood control budget — a detail he labeled “disturbing” in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July. He has since committed to issuing an executive order establishing an Independent Commission to investigate the matter.
Beyond the call for investigation and prosecution, the business groups outlined a six-point action plan aimed at pushing back against institutionalized corruption. This includes identifying culprits, encouraging voter education, blacklisting corrupt contractors, and calling on the financial sector to help trace laundered public funds. They also urged companies to commit to integrity by refusing to bribe officials for project approvals.
Their collective message to corrupt officials was clear and urgent: “Please stop. Maawa naman kayo sa mga naghihirap na taumbayan.”
Among the signatories are the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX), Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation (SEIPI), and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), as well as advocacy organizations including Connected Women, Green EDSA Movement, and the Justice Reform Initiative.
The statement concluded with a forceful declaration: “Justice for the Filipino people, especially the poor, can only be achieved by successfully punishing the corrupt.”
