The rain continues to pour, and the streets are nowhere to be found. As the water overflows, a spillage of wealth emerges—one that’s too suspicious for the naked eye to ignore.
Filipinos pay taxes from purchasing basic necessities, daily utilities, and bills. Yet because of the government’s misuse of taxes from Filipinos’ hard-earned salaries, the uncertainty lies in whether our rage matters or if we are solely supposed to tolerate the injustice that has always been laid out for our eyes to see.
Flood of Suffering
During the Senate briefing of the Development Budget Coordination Committee, the Philippine economy incurred an estimated cost of PHP42.3 billion to PHP118.5 billion between 2023 to 2025 from the ghost flood control projects. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral also confirmed that an estimated P51 billion was distributed to Davao City’s First District Representative Paolo Duterte for infrastructure projects during his term from 2020 to 2022.
However, a case in point last August 20, torrential rains battered Davao City—submerging 265 areas in a single night in major roads across Bajada and Lanang as the most affected areas in District 1. What should be a one-hour commute in Davao City often stretched into three to four grueling hours, as heavy rains transformed roads into rivers—worsening the traffic congestion. Commuters in the downtown area crowded the Roxas and C.M. Recto Avenues, soaked from head to toe. Jeepneys swarmed through the gridlock and even taxis would refuse passengers.
With sore, curved backs, and tired eyes, students of Ateneo de Davao University directly experience the consequences of inadequate infrastructure and poor urban planning.
“Not only was it challenging getting a bus, jeep, or taxi, but it also lengthened my traveling hours…Since some roads were flooded, the driver had to change his route, making the trip longer than it should’ve been,” Maria Gilbertson, a 1st-year AB Political Science student, said.
Beyond inconvenience, students voiced that the failures of flood control projects reveal deeper issues of governance and negligence.
“The ghost flood project issues obviously emotionally drain me as the project could save lives and improve the living standards of the community, but in the end, the only thing that improved was the bank savings account of whoever the contractor was,” stated Mark De Klerk, a 1st-year AB Economics student.
Flood of Accountability
Amid the voices and chants for calling out the misuse of public funds, Filipinos continue to demand immediate, visible changes ensuring that every peso spent translates into tangible solutions.
“To think that these so-called ‘politicians’ and ‘contractors’ feed on greed and our money makes my heart go out to those who are struggling just to make ends meet. It is completely unjust and inhumane for them to roam around freely, spending the sweat of a million Filipinos on luxury items, houses, and cars,” Gilbertson added.
On September 5, progressive groups staged a mobilization in front of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region XI office in Davao City, condemning alleged corruption and anomalies in the agency’s flood control projects. Protesters criticized major contractors in the city, such as RELY Construction, Genesis88, ABU Construction, and Monolithic Construction, for handling multiple projects while flooding remains unresolved.
“Dapat ang local government mag focus sa mga practical nga solutions nga makita dayon ang epekto, importante nga tibay ug limpyo pirmi ang flood control projects and drainage system para dili magbara kung kusog ang ulan kay sa panahon karon sige ug ulan,” Maria Taojo, a 3rd-year AB Communication student, expressed.
The waters will dry and the streets will show up once again, but the scars of negligence and greed will remain etched in the eyes of those who have lost homes, lives, and futures. The flood of rage must continue to rise—not drown the peoples’ voices, but to wash away the plague that has tormented the masses for years.