Outrage over 'ghost projects' for flood control lands on Filipino 'nepo babies' flaunting wealth on social media

Floods are a devastating yet common hazard in the Philippines, with the monsoon season resulting in heavy rainfall.

The government under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has attempted to mitigate its effects by funding infrastructure projects for flood management and control, to the tune of 545 billion pesos (S$12.2 billion) since 2022.

However, a lack of noticeable construction progress on coincided with social media posts displaying dazzling wealth and luxury, from the children of the contractors and public officials in charge of the flood projects.

Social media outrage ensued, with Marcos ordering "lifestyle checks" on government officials in a review.

"I'm very angry", says Marcos

The lack of progress was evident when cities such as Manila were hit with heavy rain and floods in Jul. 2025.

In Aug. 2025, a preliminary probe found that billions of dollars had been poured into flood control projects since 2022, with 20 per cent of the total budget awarded to just 15 contractors nationwide.

Marcos slammed "ghost projects" that were not built but were still declared completed by the contractors, including a river wall that cost 55 million pesos (S$1.2 million) in Bulacan province, outside of Manila.

"They didn't work for even a single day," Marcos said at the work site, to gathered reporters.

According to the Inquirer, anomalous ghost flood control projects have cost the Philippine economy up to 118.5 billion (S$2.6 billion) in a few years.

Flaunting wealth

After the president's remarks and the public disclosure of the contractors involved in the "ghost projects", Filipinos began scrutinising the social media profiles of the businessmen and politicians linked to them.

They gathered images of luxury outfits, accessories and properties and shared them online, quickly going viral.

One of the biggest online repositories is the lifestylecheckPH subreddit, which was created on Aug. 24, 2025 and already has over 7,000 followers.

It includes posts like a "house tour" of a palatial residence purportedly belonging to District Engineer Henry Alcantara of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), who admitted to certifying "ghost projects" without confirming whether they were completed.

The video of the "house tour" showed off a swimming pool, an indoor bar and a billiards table, among other luxuries.

Another name that emerged was Claudine Co, a socialite who frequently shared photos of her expensive clothes and overseas trips, including some in a private plane.

Filipinos noted that she is the daughter of lawmaker Christopher Co, who is the co-founder of construction firm Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corporation.

Hi-Tone was one of the construction firms noted by the government as having allegedly won problematic multimillion-dollar contracts with the DPWH, according to the Enquirer.

While he was an incorporator of Hi-Tone, Christopher Co has since divested his shares from the company.

Following backlash from netizens, Co deactivated her social media accounts, including Instagram.

According to Rappler, another content creator who received criticism was Jammy Cruz, who is the daughter of a construction and trading company.

Cruz had shown off some of her favourite designer items, including multiple Chanel bags.

A viral X (formerly Twitter) thread "naming and shaming" Co and other influencers gained over 3.5 million views and 39,000 likes.

Reform measures

The government has made moves in the wake of the public revelations.

The head of the DPWH, Manuel Bonoan, who was embroiled in flood-control project controversies, resigned and was replaced by Vince Dizon by Marcos.

Dizon is tasked with conducting a "full organisational sweep” of the public works department and making sure that public funds are used "solely for infrastructure,” said the Presidential Communications Office.

Marcos also established an Independent Commission to Investigate Flood Control Anomalies.

The new group intends to conduct a "comprehensive review" of projects, identify irregularities and suggest measures for accountability, to restore public trust in government spending.

It remains to be seen if this will be enough to quell public anger over the lifestyles of those rich and connected to the scandal.

Top image from Xinhua and Facebook via Rappler.