'She died because of the flood': Filipinos rise up as outrage over corruption scandal grows

Philippines Floods: Thousands Demand Justice as Corruption Scandal Spreads

A 49-year-old health worker, Christina Padora, died in a flood-related electrocution incident while inspecting vaccines and medication stored at her clinic in Bulacan province. Her death has become the latest in a string of recent fatalities linked to flooding in the Philippines, a country plagued by frequent natural disasters.

The Philippines is hit by around 20 typhoons every year, making it one of the most flood-prone countries globally. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's administration has allocated P545bn (around £7bn) for over 9,855 flood control projects nationwide since taking office in 2022.

However, allegations of corruption and mismanagement have sparked widespread outrage and protests across the country. Dozens of lawmakers, contractors, and public works officials are accused of siphoning off billions allocated for flood mitigation through "ghost projects," overpricing, and kickbacks.

Padora's death was attributed to a live wire she failed to see while wading through waist-high floodwaters. Her husband, Hajji Padora, described her death as "she died because of the flood," emphasizing that it's not just financial losses but also human lives being wasted.

The anti-corruption agency has completed evidence to file cases against at least a dozen lawmakers. The country is witnessing unprecedented protests, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets, many of them youths. A major protest on September 21 was followed by smaller street actions, with another large demonstration planned for November.

Climate experts warn that climate change will continue to worsen flooding in the Philippines. Mahar Lagmay, a climate expert at the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute, suggests that flood control projects are not effective solutions and that interventions like planting trees and moving developments away from flood plains are preferable.

The corruption scandal has triggered political turmoil, leading to the replacement of key officials. Newly installed public works secretary Vince Dizon has vowed to recover stolen money, while the anti-money laundering council has frozen over P4bn in assets linked to the scam.

However, protesters remain unsatisfied and demand justice for those behind the scams. "We need the corrupt to be convicted and truly held accountable," says Dexter Yang, a law student who founded GoodGovPH.

Senator Panfilo Lacson warns that the list of implicated politicians will only grow, with estimates suggesting over P1tn lost to corruption in the past 15 years.

The Philippines is facing a super bad situation right now . I mean, flooding is happening all the time and people are getting electrocuted or worse . But then you have this corruption scandal that's just ridiculous . Like, how can people be so greedy? . And the government is trying to cover it up but everyone knows what's going on .

I feel bad for Christina Padora and her family, they're suffering due to these floods and now she's dead . But at the same time, I don't want to see all these politicians getting off scot-free either . It's like, we need some accountability but not at the expense of justice .

I'm kinda surprised that climate change is being mentioned in this whole thing . Like, isn't it obvious that flooding is a result of global warming? . But I guess we can't just focus on one issue when there are so many problems to solve .

Anyway, I think the people of the Philippines deserve some answers . They're demanding justice and change, which is totally fair . We should all be supporting them in this fight for transparency and accountability .

its really sad what happened to christina padora her death couldve been avoided if they took flood safety seriously... and its not just her case, we keep hearing about floods in philippines and how corrupt officials are siphoning off funds meant for disaster relief but honestly, i think its both: natural disasters will always be a problem, but governments can definitely do more to prevent them... like investing in flood control projects and infrastructure thats why mahar lagmay says we need more than just quick fixes, we need a sustainable approach to tackling climate change

this is so sad about christina padora, she was just trying to help her community and died doing it. flooding in philippines is a huge issue and its not just about money, its lives being wasted. i feel bad for hajji padora too, he's still grieving the loss of his wife.

i'm shocked that corruption scandal is still so widespread despite gov allocating billions for flood control projects. Mahar lagmay makes some valid points, planting trees and moving developments away from flood plains could make a big difference. but whats frustrating is that protesters are still not getting the justice they deserve

vince dizon's vow to recover stolen money sounds good on paper, but we need concrete actions to be taken . i'm glad senator lacson is warning about the scale of corruption, its time for gov to take responsibility and make real changes.

can't believe what's happening in philippines ... thousands of ppl taking to streets demanding justice for christina padora & all those who got scammed out of billions . its not just about money, its human lives being wasted because of govt negligence & corruption . climate change is making things worse, but still no effective flood control projects in place . we need real solutions like planting trees & moving developments away from flood plains . protesters are getting frustrated, but i'm with them - justice should be served .

you know what's wild, i was just thinking about how much i love playing video games on my phone while watching floods like this happen in philippines... it's so surreal, like my character is safe and sound while people are struggling with actual floodwaters outside anyway, back to the topic... corruption is a huge problem in philippines, but it makes me wonder if we'll ever see any real change in governance

It's really heartbreaking to see Christina Padora's tragic fate being swept under the rug . The flood-related electrocution incident is a stark reminder of the lives lost and families shattered due to preventable causes. I think the government should focus on implementing sustainable solutions, like Mahar Lagmay's suggestion of planting trees and moving developments away from flood plains .

The allocation of P545bn for flood control projects is staggering, but if it's just going to be siphoned off through corruption, then what's the point? The protesters are right to demand justice and accountability for those behind the scams. We need concrete actions taken to prevent such tragedies in the future. It's not just about recovering stolen money, but also about making sure that our systems are in place to protect people like Christina Padora.

It's a shame that the list of implicated politicians is likely to grow . I think we need more transparency and oversight mechanisms put in place to prevent such corruption from happening again. Until then, the lives lost will continue to be mourned, and the suffering of families will remain unaddressed .

I'm so frustrated with the state of flood control in the Philippines. Like, where's all this money going? £7bn is a lot, but if it's just being siphoned off into ghost projects and kickbacks, then what's the point? It's not just about the money, though - human lives are being lost too. Christina Padora's death was avoidable if there were better flood safety measures in place .

And climate change is just making things worse, apparently . It's like, we should be planting trees and moving developments away from flood plains, not just throwing more money at ineffective projects. I mean, what's the point of building a flood control system if it's just going to get washed away again?

I'm so tired of these corrupt politicians just getting away with it . Can't they see that this is affecting real people's lives? We need justice for Christina and all those who have lost their lives or livelihoods because of this corruption. It's time for some real accountability here .