Ateneo School of Government condemns rampant corruption

MANILA, Philippines — The Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) condemned the gravity of corruption not only in flood control projects but also in other projects of the government.

“We are horrified by the blatant disregard for the rule of law. We are stunned by the complicity of leaders in flagrant corrupt practices. The deepening crisis of corruption is systematically eroding the integrity of public institutions, and corroding the moral fabric of public service. The magnitude of resources siphoned through these practices is not only alarming but profoundly disturbing,” the ASOG said in a statement.

The ASOG said that the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP) and General Appropriations Act (GAA) shows P254.3 billion was allocated for flood control.

“If one goes through the insertions, there are other flood control-like projects totaling P242 billion spread out in the GAA, which can bring the total up to P496.3 billion. In his media statements, President Marcos uses the amount P350 billion. This appears to be a subset of the bigger total,” the ASOG also said.

Furthermore, it said that social services are increasingly guided by political discretion rather than citizens’ rights, as several government agencies faced budget cuts in the 2025 GAA in favor of direct cash assistance.

Describing it as a sense of moral debt, the ASOG said that funding for some agencies has been redirected to direct cash assistance, such as Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation.

Also included are the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged and Displaced Workers.

“These programs have no system for identifying beneficiaries and conditions for qualifying as a beneficiary. In 2025, the budget for these programs totalled P130 billion,” the ASOG said.

It said that the administration’s poverty reduction program has become one of the casualties of the country’s ongoing corruption challenges, as recent budget slashes and reallocations indicate a new direction in government spending priorities.

“Greater role and discretion are given to politicians in the selection of projects, beneficiaries and amounts of assistance and visibility in the distribution of the same. Social services are headed toward becoming a matter of utang na loob, not a matter of right,” the ASOG said.

Amid mounting criticism of the current budget, next year’s budget proposal does not include funding for the controversial AKAP program based on the NEP Program.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman earlier mentioned that the budget for the said program is not included in the proposed funding of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for next year.

The ASOG warned that continued mismanagement of the budget could sustain the country’s heavy reliance on borrowing, driving national debt to grow faster than GDP, as debt servicing will continue to eat up a significant portion of budget expenditure.