The Fall of the Contractors: Sacrificial Lambs to Save the Crooks

When news about failed flood control projects broke, the immediate reaction was predictable: blame the contractors. They were painted as greedy profiteers cutting corners at the expense of public safety. But if we dig deeper, a harsher truth emerges. The problem is not just about one contractor or one failed project—it is about a systemic corruption that has long poisoned government infrastructure development.

The Real Issue of Concern

Systemic Corruption, Not Isolated Cases

Flooded streets, collapsing bridges, and crumbling roads are not accidents. They are symptoms of a much bigger disease—corruption deeply entrenched in procurement, bidding, and project implementation. These are not isolated lapses of judgment but repeated patterns that have become standard practice.

Accountability Evasion

Politicians and public servants often claim they have “no ownership” of projects, shifting the blame solely to contractors. Yet, their approvals, endorsements, and “associations” with certain companies tell another story. They benefit indirectly—through kickbacks, favors, or political mileage—while keeping their hands apparently clean. In this setup, contractors are cast as the fall guys, while the real power players remain untouchable.

Power Dynamics in Procurement

Contractors, too, are trapped in this coercive system. To win projects, they are often forced to play along with SOPs, kickbacks, and layers of red tape. Refusing to comply can mean blacklisting or losing future contracts altogether. This power imbalance makes contractors both participants and victims, pressured into compromising integrity for survival.

The Impact on Public Infrastructure

By the time the bidding mafia, politicians, and corrupt officials take their cut, the budget left for actual project execution is far below what is needed for quality work. The results are tragically predictable:

• Substandard bridges and roads that crack long before their expected lifespan

• Weak buildings that put lives at risk

• Flood control projects that fail at the first heavy rain

The public ultimately pays twice: first through taxes misused for corruption, and second through the consequences of poor infrastructure.

Why Are Public Servants Spared?

Despite their involvement, public officials often escape scrutiny. Why?

• Legal Loopholes & Weak Enforcement – Investigations are easily derailed, and whistleblowers risk retaliation.

• Political Protection – Many are shielded by networks of influence and alliances.

• Narrative Control – It is easier for authorities to paint contractors as villains than admit systemic complicity.

The Bottom Line

The contractors may be the visible casualties, but the real culprits are the “bidding mafia” and the officials who demand and enable kickbacks. Unless accountability reaches these power players, failed projects will remain the norm, and the cycle of corruption will continue.

And as always, it is the Filipino people who bear the heaviest burden—trapped in floods, stranded on broken roads, and betrayed by a government that claims to serve them but too often serves itself.