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Floods compound Philippine growth woes from public-works scandal

The country’s governance and climate risks are further dampening investor confidence

    • The Philippines has lost between 42.3 billion pesos (US$675.6 million) and 118.5 billion pesos to flood-control corruption since 2023.
    • The Philippines has lost between 42.3 billion pesos (US$675.6 million) and 118.5 billion pesos to flood-control corruption since 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS
    Rachel Ranosa-Joshi
    Published Tue, Sep 8, 2026 · 10:32 AM

    [MANILA] Severe flooding across the Philippines is threatening to add a fresh drag to an economy already reeling from the fallout of a public works corruption scandal, which has slowed infrastructure spending and hurt investor confidence.

    The disruption comes as Manila is trying to capture a larger share of South-east Asia’s China+1 manufacturing windfall.

    The latest storms and crippling floods have affected about 9.4 million Filipinos, and has hit major industrial corridors, such as the manufacturing hubs of Calabarzon, Central Luzon and Metro Manila, which are vulnerable to extreme and recurrent flooding.