Palace says public must not forget, continue fight vs. corruption

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

Thousands joined anti-corruption rallies across the country, with protesters demanding accountability over irregularities in flood control projects that the President flagged in his State of the Nation Address on July 28. (Photo by Prei Valencia)

MANILA – Malacañang on Sunday said Filipinos must sustain the fight against corruption, warning that forgetting the lessons from the multibillion-peso flood control scandal would allow wrongdoers to thrive.

In a televised interview, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the fight against corruption must continue, noting that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. started calling out the illicit activities.

“Sinimulan niya ito siguro para mamulat ‘yung tao. Pero sana sa pagmulat na ‘to sana huwag silang makakalimot. Dapat magtuluy-tuloy ito dahil ito ang gusto ng Pangulo (He started this probably to awaken the people. But in this awakening, let us not forget. This must continue because this is what the President wants),” Castro said.

“Kasi otherwise, kung hindi niya ito sinimulan, mananatiling mayayaman ang mga ‘yan namamayagpag pa rin. Pero ang Pangulo ang nag-start para mapigil ito.

Huwag nilang kalimutan ‘yon (Otherwise, if he did not begin this, those wealthy wrongdoers would still be thriving. The President initiated this to stop it — let us not forget that).”

Thousands joined anti-corruption rallies across the country, with protesters demanding accountability over irregularities in flood control projects that the President flagged in his State of the Nation Address on July 28.

Investigations are ongoing into alleged ghost projects and inflated contracts linked to massive infrastructure spending that critics say worsened flooding in several regions.

The scandal has since fueled broader calls for systemic reform and clean governance.

Castro said the broader responsibility lies in the hands of the public, who must break the cycle of electing the same leaders who allow corruption to persist.

“Hindi lang Presidente ang pwedeng magpigil nito. Taumbayan talaga. Kayo po. May obligasyon tayong mamili ng tamang leaders (But as we have said, it is not only the President who can stop this. It is really the people. All of you. We have an obligation to choose the right leaders),” she said.

“Hindi ‘yung paulit-ulit na lang, nandiyan pa rin sila. Hindi rin tayo nadadala, ‘yung mga botante, hindi rin nadadala.

Matuto tayo (Not the same ones again and again who remain in power. Voters are not learning. We must learn).”