ASEAN Beat | Environment | Southeast Asia

Severe Flooding Bares Garbage and Corruption Problems in the Philippines

Lawmakers and contractors used the climate crisis to push forward flood-control projects. But those have turned out to be defective and in some cases even non-existent.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. touring the Tripa de Gallina Pumping Station on August 20, 2026.

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 Diplomat