Members of the group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas-Navotas (PAMALAKAYA-Navotas) staged a protest on Monday, Sept. 8, outside the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Malabon-Navotas District Engineering Office to denounce alleged corruption in multi-billion-peso flood control projects.

The group said communities continue to suffer from constant flooding despite the nearly P4-billion budget allocated for flood control in the city from 2023 to 2025.

They accused two contractors, Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc. and St. Timothy Construction, of involvement in corruption-related projects.

PAMALAKAYA national chairperson Fernando Hicap said fisherfolk bear the brunt of these failures.

“Mga mangingisda ang isa sa mga pangunahing pumapasan sa korapsyon ng mga pulitiko at mga kasabwat nito na contractor. Tinanggalan na nga ng kabuhayan dahil sa mga proyektong reklamasyon at kumbersyon, ngayon ay biktima pa rin kami ng baha dahil sa kapalpakan ng gobyernong ito. Sa Navotas, kaunting ulan lamang ay tumataas na agad ang tubig sa mga komunidad na nagdudulot ng lalong pagpapahirap at pagkakasakit sa aming pamilya (Fisherfolk are among the primary victims of corruption by politicians and their contractor allies. We have already lost our livelihood to reclamation and conversion projects, and now we continue to suffer from flooding caused by the government’s incompetence. In Navotas, even a little rain quickly raises the water level in communities, bringing more hardship and illness to our families),” he said. 

“And now we learn that these flood control projects, boasted by Marcos Jr. just last year, are riddled with corruption, anomalies, and failures. It is truly infuriating,” he added. 

Hicap also criticized the government for failing to address the problem and allowing corrupt practices to persist.

The group demanded accountability not only from contractors and DPWH officials but also from politicians, including President Marcos Jr.

 “This should not end with a mere show investigation in Congress, especially since it is certain that some senators and congressmen are also complicit in these anomalies. Everyone who profited from plundering public funds must be held accountable—from the contractors, DPWH officials, and politicians, up to Marcos Jr. himself,” Hicap said. 

During the protest, fishers threw mussel shells at the DPWH emblem to symbolize their anger. 

They also vowed to join more mass actions, including the Sept. 21 Martial Law Commemoration, to continue pressing for justice and accountability.