“To the Corrupt Ones Among You”: Parañaque Resident Speaks Out After Flooding

PARAÑAQUE CITY — A resident of Barangay San Isidro, Parañaque City, made an emotional appeal to those she believes are responsible for corruption in flood-control projects after their community was submerged in floodwaters on Saturday night, August 8.

Resident Vice Urmeneta spoke about the ordeal suffered by residents after flooding struck their area, leaving communities dealing with the consequences of rising water.

Her message was directed at what she described as the “corrupt” individuals involved in the country's flood-control problems.

“To the [corrupt] ones among you, I hope you understand this.”

The appeal came amid growing public scrutiny of the country's flood-control infrastructure and questions surrounding billions of pesos allocated for projects intended to protect communities from flooding.

Residents Bear the Consequences

For residents of flood-prone communities, discussions about government infrastructure are not merely political debates.

When floodwaters enter homes, families can lose appliances, furniture, clothing, important documents and other possessions within hours.

Businesses can also be forced to close, while residents may have to evacuate their homes or spend days cleaning and repairing damage.

For communities that repeatedly experience flooding, the frustration can become even greater when residents believe that government projects intended to prevent flooding have failed to protect them.

That frustration was evident in Urmeneta's appeal.

The Human Cost of Flooding

The flooding in Barangay San Isidro occurred as Metro Manila and other parts of the country continued to deal with heavy rains and flooding.

While rainfall and weather conditions are important factors in flooding, recurring inundation also raises questions about drainage capacity, waterways, pumping systems, flood-control structures, maintenance and urban planning.

The bigger issue is whether existing infrastructure is sufficient to protect communities when heavy rainfall occurs.

Growing Scrutiny Over Flood-Control Projects

The resident's appeal comes at a time when government authorities are investigating alleged irregularities involving flood-control projects.

The Ombudsman and other government agencies have been examining questions surrounding the implementation and funding of flood-control infrastructure in different parts of the country.

Officials have raised concerns about whether projects were properly designed, correctly implemented and effectively delivered.

But for residents like those in San Isidro, the issue ultimately comes down to something much more immediate:

Did the flood-control system protect them when they needed it most?

Anger Behind the Appeal

Urmeneta's message reflects a broader frustration being expressed by flood victims who feel that ordinary Filipinos are left to deal with the consequences when infrastructure systems fail.

Government investigations may take months or even years to determine whether wrongdoing occurred.

But flood victims experience the consequences immediately.

They have to clean their homes.

They have to replace damaged belongings.

They have to find temporary shelter.

And they have to recover from the emotional and financial impact of another flood.

That is why accountability matters.

From Investigation to Results

The continuing flood-control controversy will ultimately be judged not only by investigations and government statements, but by whether communities become safer.

If corruption or other wrongdoing is established, those responsible should be held accountable through the proper legal process.

But beyond punishment, the government also faces a much bigger responsibility:

Make sure flood-control projects actually work.

Because for residents living in flood-prone communities, the measure of a flood-control project isn't how much money was allocated or how impressive the project looks on paper.

It's whether the water stays out of their homes.

And after another night of flooding, residents like Vice Urmeneta are demanding answers.

Palace Flags Chavit Singson’s Protest Call as Possible Incitement to Sedition

BBM Watch

January 06, 2026•1 min read

Malacañang has described former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson’s call for a nationwide protest as potentially inciting to sedition, according to Palace press officer Claire Castro.

Castro said encouraging the public to remove Ferdinand Marcos Jr. from office could fall under acts considered incitement to sedition, adding that the matter would be left to the Department of Justice to determine whether a motu proprio investigation would be pursued.

Singson had earlier urged religious groups and civic sectors to organize protests amid allegations of anomalies in flood control projects. He framed the call as a collective action against corruption, saying Filipinos from different political leanings should unite to stop the misuse of public funds.

The Palace, however, dismissed Singson’s challenge to debate the President and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, stating that debating was not the solution to corruption concerns. Castro emphasized that governance and concrete action—rather than public confrontations—remain the administration’s focus.

As of this writing, no formal case has been filed, and officials clarified that any legal determination would depend on the DOJ’s assessment of the statements and context surrounding the protest call.