Filipinos' optimism about punishment for government officials involved in the flood control scandal has declined, according to a new Pulse Asia survey. As of December 2025, only 59 percent believe that corrupt officials will be held accountable, down from 71 percent in September.
According to the survey conducted among 1,200 adults from December 12 to 15, 13 percent believed that officials would not be punished, up from 8 percent in the previous report. The data came five months after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for a thorough investigation into the country's flood control projects.
Investigations uncovered collusion between politicians, government executives, and contractors in a kickback scheme that resulted in the corruption of billions of pesos of tax money. This included the filing of charges, the return of corrupt money, the arrest of suspects, and several government reforms.
Despite several arrests, the public and critics say that the “big fish” in the scandal have yet to be caught, particularly Elizaldy Co, former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. who has been out of the country since last year. As a result, public confidence in the administration’s response to corruption has declined, especially given the lack of meaningful progress in investigations.
As for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, an estimated one-third of Filipinos believe that “the truth is only occasionally known but the impact is limited.” Most doubt the trust in the Senate, the President (48 percent), and the DPWH (59 percent) in resolving the issue. However, Malacañang said that the public still believes in the President's ability to act against corruption, according to Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro.
