by Renato M. Reyes, Jr., Bagong Alyansang Makabayan president
July 27, 2026 marks the 5th SONA of Bongbong Marcos Jr., and the first-year anniversary of his speech “Mahiya naman kayo” regarding corruption. This speech is said to be the “signal fire” that exposed the flood control corruption involving various high-ranking executive officials, the legislature, and private contractors.
Guests at the SONA applauded Marcos’s speech—a scene full of irony and contradiction as those who applauded were themselves involved in corruption. And as expected, a political crisis erupted following the speech. In the end, the one who exposed the flood control corruption and postured as “clean” and “uncorrupt” is now at the center of the corruption issue—and is also the one who experienced the biggest plunge in his approval ratings.
It can be recalled that after the speech, the “Isumbong sa Pangulo” website was launched to identify “ghost flood control projects” across the country. This initially pinned down several lawmakers and private contractors like the Discayas. However, Marcos’s problem was that his political allies and executive officials, particularly in the DPWH, were also involved.
With the outbreak of anti-corruption protests starting with the storming of the Discayas’ house, followed by massive actions in Luneta and EDSA, the Marcos regime was obligated to form an “Independent Commission on Infrastructure” (ICI) to investigate reports of corruption. This should lead to the filing of cases against those involved in corruption. During this time, the chants echoed loudly: “Lahat ng sangkot, dapat managot!” along with the UP cheer “Ikulong na ‘yan, mga kurakot!”
The people were not content with the hearings in the House, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, as well as the ICI meetings that refused to be livestreamed. It was immediately exposed that the hearings of Congress and the ICI were selective and intended to shield certain quarters. And it was also exposed that the investigations would not reach the highest levels—those at the top of the corruption. It is not enough that the Discayas or DPWH personnel became the sole focus of the investigation.
We pointed out that those who make the National Expenditure Program, those who uphold the pork barrel system in the budget, those who make budget insertions, and those who sign and implement the budget are also involved in corruption. In short, flood control and infrastructure corruption is a whole system of bureaucrat capitalism, Marcos is at the top of it, and those at the bottom cannot be the only ones held accountable.
What happened next? Flood control items were removed from the national budget, but the system of “allocables” or projects that were the “entitlements” of lawmakers, was maintained. The system that breeds corruption remained, only its form was changed. Unprogrammed appropriations were retained, LGU pork was increased, confidential and intelligence funds remained, as well as other “pork” items at the President’s discretion. That is why the protests, school walkouts, and actions aimed at the House, Senate, Ombudsman, and Malacañang did not stop.
It was in November when Zaldy Co, former House Appropriations Committee chair, began the series of videos detailing Marcos Jr.’s budget insertions and kickbacks. This made the modus operandi of corruption emanting from Malacañang much clearer. Several cabinet officials were also implicated, and contradictions between various political factions became sharper. Ping Lacson seemingly reinforced Zaldy Co’s statements when the senator presented the testimony of former DPWH USec. Roberto Bernardo claiming that there were ₱8 billion in kickbacks handed to Malacañang personnel USec. Trygve Olayvar and USec. Adrian Bersamin. Ping’s only clarification was that the kickbacks did not reach Marcos Jr.—something many do not believe and which testimonies contradict.
During the period when Marcos Jr.’s corruption was being exposed and Sara Duterte’s corruption remained unresolved, discussions began regarding the need to reject both corrupt factions and strive for the change of the rotten system.
By December, the national budget was approved despite strong public opposition to corruption and the pork barrel system. Corruption persisted because projects and items that breed corruption remained.
The ICI, on the other hand, was plagued by problems as two commissioners resigned and the Commission was de facto dissolved. The documents reviewed by the ICI were hauled off to the Ombudsman, and it was expected that the evidence would lead to cases.
The House dismissed the impeachment case against Marcos Jr., but around this time, new information emerged regarding the delivery of money to Marcos Jr.’s house in Forbes Park.
Within a year since the flood control corruption was exposed, the Discayas, former senator Bong Revilla, senator Jinggoy Estrada, and DPWH officials were arrested. Former DPWH secretary Manny Bonoan is being eyed as a state witness while the public still awaits the promised cases against several lawmakers and senators. But the personalities implicated in Malacañang kickbacks have not been investigated, and two of them—USec. Jojo Cadiz and former DBM secretary Amenah Pangandaman—have even returned to the government. The high proifle DPWH secretary Vince Dizon, who used to tour the whole country to inspect projects, is now silent.
During the flood control issue, Marcos Jr.’s approval ratings plummeted, worsened by the lack of meaningful action on the economic crisis caused by the US war on Iran. How could the people not be angry—so much was plundered for corruption while the people were shortchanged during a crisis. Marcos Jr. refuses to let go of the VAT and oil excise tax because funds are needed to keep the corruption system rolling.
Isang taon matapos ang talumpati ni Marcos Jr. sa SONA, tila walang nahiya, dahil nagpatuloy ang korapsyon at ang pagtatakip sa korapsyon. Accountability became selective. The one who should be most ashamed, Marcos Jr. himself, is now groping and scrambling to deliver a SONA acceptable to the people.
Palabas lang, isang performance, ang masasaksihan natin sa darating na SONA sa Lunes. He will speak again as if he has accomplished so much, and the guests will applaud as if they are not part of the problem. But the people are tired of the performance and applause. Sawa na ang tao sa pagpopostura ng mga walanghiya.#
