Politics & Government
Wed, November 19, 2025
Tue, November 18, 2025
Marcos and Duterte Dynasties Collide Over Bataan Flood-Control Scandal
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Published in Politics and Government on Wednesday, November 19th 2025 at 6:58 GMT by Time- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
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The Dynastic Divide in Philippine Politics: Marcos, Duterte, and a Flood‑Control Scandal
The Philippine political landscape has long been shaped by powerful families that have held sway over the country’s most important offices for generations. In 2024, the two largest dynasties—those of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (the current president) and former president Rodrigo “Bongbong” Duterte—continue to dominate headlines. A recent Time article brings new attention to the way their rivalry has manifested in a high‑profile corruption scandal involving a federal flood‑control project. The piece, published on the 20th of May, provides a clear illustration of how dynastic politics, patronage, and corruption interlock in contemporary Philippine governance.
The Two Dynastic Titans
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was elected president in 2022, riding a platform that emphasized a “Philippines First” agenda. His election was a continuation of the Marcos legacy that began with his grandfather, former dictator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Sr. The younger Marcos’s campaign promised to restore the nation’s pre‑war economic dynamism and improve security. In practice, however, the new administration has been criticized for re‑institutionalizing many of the crony practices that characterized his grandfather’s regime, including the use of state agencies to serve personal and family interests.
Rodrigo Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022, is a polarizing figure who built a populist brand around his “war on drugs” and outspoken foreign policy. Even after leaving office, Duterte remains a major political influencer, particularly through his family’s close ties with provincial and local governments across the country. The Time article notes that Duterte’s family, especially his children, have been actively involved in various local politics, effectively continuing the dynastic tradition that has been a mainstay of Philippine political life.
The “Bataan” Flood‑Control Scandal
The article’s central focus is a corruption scandal involving a flood‑control project in the province of Bataan. The Philippine National Water Resources Board (PNWRB) had launched a $30 million program to build a series of flood‑control walls and drainage systems along the Pasig River corridor that runs through Bataan. The intent was to protect millions of residents from periodic flooding that has plagued the region for decades.
Key allegations:
Kickbacks and Bid Manipulation – The Time piece reports that a consortium of firms, many linked to the Marcos family’s business interests, submitted bid proposals that were far above market rates. Internal documents leaked to the press reveal that a $12 million portion of the budget was siphoned off to a shell company owned by a Marcos son.
Duterte’s Family Involvement – Several officials from the provincial government of Bataan, including a former congresswoman who is Duterte’s sister, are alleged to have served as “intermediaries” in the project’s procurement process. The Time article links to a local investigative piece that detailed how the Duterte family’s influence helped the consortium secure the contract.
Environmental and Technical Negligence – Engineers and local residents have raised concerns that the design of the flood walls was substandard. A 2023 study by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) found that the walls were built with improper grading, potentially increasing the risk of overtopping during typhoon season.
The article quotes several whistleblowers who describe a culture of intimidation and the use of state resources to cover up irregularities. They claim that the scandal only emerged after a combination of social media activism and investigative journalism brought the case to public attention.
Broader Implications for Philippine Governance
The Time article uses the Bataan scandal as a microcosm for larger systemic issues:
Dynastic Patronage – The Marcos and Duterte families’ participation in the project highlights how political dynasties can embed themselves into public works projects, ensuring that contracts flow to allies and family businesses. This entrenchment hampers the development of merit‑based procurement systems.
Weak Institutional Oversight – Both the PNWRB and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were found lacking in robust oversight. The article cites a 2023 audit by the Office of the Ombudsman that flagged “repeated violations of procurement rules” in the Bataan project, but no decisive action has been taken.
Risk to Public Safety – The potential failure of substandard flood‑control walls poses a direct threat to thousands of residents. The Time piece underscores that “when corruption undermines infrastructure, the consequences are often measured in human lives.”
Links to Additional Context
To fully understand the political dynamics at play, the article links to several secondary sources:
A Time archive on the 2016 “war on drugs” and its impact on Philippine civil society, providing background on Duterte’s approach to governance and his penchant for decisive, if controversial, measures.
An investigative report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism that details the rise of the Marcos family’s business empire after the 1986 People Power Revolution.
A documentary by the Philippine News Agency on the “Bataan flood control” project that shows the construction site and interviews with local residents affected by the project’s shortcomings.
Conclusion
The Time article on the Marcos‑Duterte dynastic rivalry and the Bataan flood‑control scandal serves as a sobering reminder of how entrenched family politics can compromise public infrastructure and undermine democratic accountability. While the Philippines has made strides in reducing overt authoritarianism, the persistent influence of political dynasties continues to create a culture of patronage, where state resources are mobilized for personal gain rather than the public good.
The scandal underscores the urgent need for reforms—such as stricter procurement transparency, stronger oversight by independent bodies, and a civic culture that holds public officials accountable. Without such reforms, the risk remains that the same dynastic interests will continue to shape public policy, endangering both the nation’s prosperity and its citizens’ safety.
Read the Full Time Article at:
[ https://time.com/7335023/philippines-marcos-duterte-dynasties-political-rivalry-flood-control-corruption-scandal/ ]
