October 28, 2025 — Manila, Philippines
Former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson delivered a fiery address on Tuesday night, October 28, 2025, accusing the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of orchestrating what he described as the “biggest corruption scandal in Philippine history” involving the government’s flood control projects.
Speaking passionately, Singson claimed that despite the administration’s allocation of more than ₱500 billion for over 9,800 flood control projects across the country, flooding has only worsened — exposing what he called a “well-orchestrated scheme to exploit the national budget for personal gain.”
“This flood control scandal is the biggest corruption scheme I have witnessed in my entire life,” Singson declared. “Having seen eight Presidents lead this nation, this is an obvious, well-orchestrated plan created by this administration to exploit the country’s national budget for personal gain.”
Singson criticized what he described as the administration’s lack of a genuine master plan for flood control, accusing it of approving scattered projects “without coordination, mapping studies, or transparency.” He said that the flooding crisis, worsened during the Marcos Jr. administration, has continued to destroy farmlands, displace families, and devastate communities despite billions of pesos spent.
“The BBM administration has invested half a trillion pesos in flood control alone. More than 9,800 projects have been built — but why do floods keep getting worse?” he asked.
According to Singson, public funds for such projects cannot move without the approval of the President, emphasizing that every stage of the budget process — from the National Expenditure Program to the release and implementation — passes through the Office of the President.
“Public funds are not released easily. There is a process — and at the very top of that process sits one man: the President of the Republic of the Philippines,” he said.
He stressed that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) implement projects based on presidential directives, meaning the President has full knowledge of how and where public funds are used.
“When Congress and the Senate inserted ₱450 billion in public works funds and Marcos Jr. vetoed only ₱29 billion, it means he personally reviewed the remaining ₱421 billion pesos of infrastructure,” Singson said. “He also conferred with his first cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez.”
Singson further alleged that corruption in flood control projects extends to Ilocos Norte — the President’s home province — where billions of pesos in projects were reportedly awarded to favored contractors and political allies.
“Almost ₱4 billion has been funneled to a newly elected mayor in Ilocos Norte, handpicked by the President himself,” Singson alleged. “The controversial Discayas family also received ₱2.7 billion worth of flood control projects, some of which are uncompleted but already paid in advance.”
He questioned why the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) — formed to investigate flood control anomalies — has not begun probing Ilocos Norte, claiming the province is “the clearest example of how corruption hides under political protection.”
“If he is doing this in his own province, then there is no doubt he is doing this to the rest of the country,” Singson said. “I challenge the President to order the ICI to investigate Ilocos Norte to prove its credibility.”
Singson also denounced the plunder complaint filed against him, calling it a “political weapon” meant to silence him for exposing corruption. He identified the complainant as Atty. Estelita “Tilly” Cordero, who he claimed had previously been suspended by the Supreme Court for violating the Code of Professional Responsibility.
“They filed a fake case against me in one day, while the real plunder case I filed against Mayor Zaragoza 10 years ago remains untouched,” Singson said. “This is how they operate — silence the whistleblower, protect the corrupt.”
He accused former Narvacan Mayor Edgardo Zaragoza, Cordero’s cousin, of massive corruption during his term, including “ghost projects” and “ghost farmers,” claiming ₱9 million had been appropriated for 65,000 nonexistent farmers.
In his impassioned statement, Singson urged Filipinos to rise against corruption, calling on farmers, students, politicians, religious leaders, and even members of the Armed Forces to stand with the people and demand accountability.
“We cannot let them protect their friends, their cousins, their families, and most of all, the President himself,” he said. “If the President cannot face the truth and take responsibility for his failures, he must step aside for the sake of the nation.”
Singson reminded the military and police of their constitutional duty, citing Section 3, Article II of the 1987 Constitution, that “the Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and the state,” emphasizing that their loyalty should lie with the Republic, not with any politician.
He concluded his speech with a call for unity and peaceful reform, urging all Filipinos to act before corruption further erodes the nation’s dignity.
“We cannot wait for change — we must force it,” Singson said. “This is no longer about politics; it is about restoring the nation’s honor. History will remember those who stood up — and forget those who stayed silent.”
“If the President truly loves this country, he should take responsibility or step down with dignity,” he added. “Every peso diverted and every ghost project is not just a waste — it is a loss of life, security, and national dignity.”
Singson ended his statement by thanking Filipinos and calling on them to continue fighting for truth and accountability.
“Now that the truth is out, we must act. The people will no longer be silenced,” he said. “May God bless the Philippines.”