Corruption Tops Filipinos' SONA 2026 Wishlist — Pulse Asia

Corruption tops Filipinos' SONA 2026 wishlist — Pulse Asia

Filipinos across the country are looking to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address for clear answers on how the government will address graft tied to flood control projects. A Pulse Asia survey released on July 20, 2026, places fighting graft and corruption among the top urgent national concerns alongside controlling inflation and raising workers' pay. The findings reflect the daily struggles of communities that have seen public funds meant for flood protection disappear into ghost projects.

Pulse Asia Survey Ties Public Priorities Directly to SONA Accountability

The Pulse Asia survey released July 20, 2026, identifies fighting graft and corruption as one of the three most urgent issues Filipinos want the President to tackle in his upcoming address. Fieldwork captured widespread frustration with how flood control budgets have been handled under the Department of Public Works and Highways. Respondents linked these failures to repeated flooding that destroys homes, crops, and livelihoods in provinces from Luzon to Mindanao. The survey places this concern on equal footing with inflation control and wage increases, showing that accountability for misused infrastructure funds sits at the center of public expectations for the SONA.

Over 100 DPWH Flood Control Projects Under Scrutiny for Corruption

More than 100 flood control projects now stand at the center of the Philippines' largest corruption scandal in decades. Senator Panfilo Lacson has flagged two specific ghost projects in Taguig where no construction occurred despite released funds. These cases form part of a pattern that spans multiple administrations' leadership at the DPWH. The projects were intended to protect low-lying barangays from seasonal typhoons, yet residents continue to face waist-deep floodwaters that ruin small businesses and force families into temporary shelters. Every section of the scandal returns to the same question the public wants answered in the SONA: how will those responsible be held to account.

Impeachment Complaint Filed in January 2026 Centers on Graft Allegations

An impeachment complaint filed against President Marcos Jr. in January 2026 alleges culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust. The complaint directly references the handling of flood control budgets and the lack of prosecutions tied to the DPWH projects. This filing has intensified calls for the SONA to deliver concrete steps toward recovery of lost funds and prosecution of officials involved. Families in flood-prone areas see the complaint as validation of their long-standing complaints about substandard or nonexistent infrastructure that leaves them vulnerable year after year.

Japan Monitors Philippine Flood Control Cases Affecting Foreign-Funded Projects

Japanese authorities are tracking the corruption allegations because several flood control initiatives involve Japanese development assistance. Delays and irregularities in these projects have already disrupted planned protections for coastal communities in the Philippines. The monitoring underscores how domestic graft in DPWH programs reaches beyond national borders and affects the country's reputation with long-time development partners. Residents in affected regions note that promised Japanese-supported dikes and drainage systems remain incomplete, leaving their homes exposed during the rainy season.

Human Cost of Unaddressed Flood Control Corruption on Filipino Families

Ordinary Filipinos bear the direct consequences when flood control funds fail to produce results. In Taguig and other areas flagged by Senator Lacson, families have lost household goods, livestock, and small-scale crops to repeated flooding. These losses compound the effects of inflation and stagnant wages already identified as top concerns in the Pulse Asia survey. Community leaders emphasize that the SONA must move beyond general statements and name specific measures to recover funds and complete the stalled projects. The Pahayag survey conducted in July 2026 similarly found corruption as the leading public priority, reinforcing that accountability remains the issue most connected to daily survival for millions of households.