How has the flood control scandal affected our economy?

MANILA, Philippines – In 2025, the Philippines faced its largest corruption scandal: the flood control and other public works controversies. Its impact has rippled through every corner of our country’s development, including our economy. 

With high-profile lawmakers and contractors tied to the issue, public trust, financial stability, and even international investor confidence have all been affected. All this is unfolding as GDP in the third quarter of 2025 rose by 4%, our weakest non-pandemic quarterly growth rate since 2011.

Look back on how the flood control scandal has shaken the Philippine economy this year — and what can be done to fix it — in Rappler’s in-depth analyses below.

[In This Economy] Economic malaise grips the Philippines

• [Vantage Point] Why global investors see PH flood control scandal as systemic red flag
• [Finterest] How flood control corruption scandals can derail investments into PH
• [In This Economy] Is massive corruption to blame for the historically weak peso?
• What Marcos administration can do to arrest slower economic growth in 2025

[In This Economy] How safe are your deposits and investments amid widespread corruption?

• [In This Economy] Infrastructure corruption in the time of Marcos Sr. vs Marcos Jr.
• [Vantage Point] Napoles and the Discayas: Two faces of the same rot
• How much market value did the PSE really lose amid flood control projects mess?

[BizSights] Not all flood control projects are bad. Here are some we can be proud of.

• [Vantage Point] How blockchain could drain the flood-control corruption swamp
• [OPINION] Reorganize DPWH, let the armed forces build flood control projects
• [Good Business] Disrupting corruption

– Rappler.com