The Liberal Party of the Philippines issued a sharp challenge to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday, July 26, 2026 — the eve of his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) — demanding accountability for alleged anomalies in government flood control projects and urging action on political dynasties and the West Philippine Sea.
"Mahiya ka naman sa kapwa mo Pilipino, Mr. President," the opposition party said in a statement released Sunday, in a pointed echo of the President's own "mahiya naman kayo" rebuke during his 2025 SONA, when Marcos himself publicly disclosed alleged irregularities in flood control spending.
Flood Control Scandal: One Year, No Convictions
One year after Marcos raised the alarm over alleged irregularities in flood control disbursements at his 2025 SONA, the Liberal Party said the central question still has no answer: Sino ang tunay na mananagot? — who will truly be held accountable?
Despite names being surfaced, allegations raised, and investigations launched over the past year, the party said no clear convictions have followed. Without concrete accountability, the party warned, the scandal risks becoming "just another controversy that fades away" into a bitter chapter of history.
The Liberal Party stressed that the funds at the center of the controversy were not abstract figures — they represented taxes paid by workers, farmers, fisherfolk, businesses, and ordinary Filipino families. According to the party's statement, those funds "should have gone to safe communities, functioning schools, health services, jobs, and a better future for the youth."
Floods Return, But Accountability Has Not
With the rainy season once again bringing floods across the country, the Liberal Party said it is unacceptable that ordinary Filipinos wade through floodwaters and fear for their homes and livelihoods while those who allegedly enriched themselves from the very projects meant to protect them remain, in the party's words, "safe and free."
The party called on the Marcos administration to prosecute those involved in the alleged anomalies, recover stolen public funds, and deliver justice for every peso of hard-earned taxes diverted from flood control infrastructure.
Party Presses for Anti-Dynasty Law and WPS Firmness
Beyond the flood control controversy, the Liberal Party's pre-SONA statement pressed for the passage of an Anti-Political Dynasty Law, noting that the constitutional mandate prohibiting political dynasties has long been clear but remains unlegislated. The party said the monopoly of a few families over political power must end.
The statement also called for a stronger defense of Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, stating that China must be held to account for what it described as dangerous and unlawful actions against Filipino fisherfolk and government personnel operating in Philippine-claimed waters.
The party tied these issues together, arguing that behind every instance of corruption, dynastic politics, and weak governance is a generation slowly being robbed of opportunity.
Liberal Party's Call to Action Before Batasang Pambansa Address
Concluding its message ahead of Monday's SONA at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City, the Liberal Party said that beautiful words, new slogans, and fresh promises are no longer sufficient.
"Mr. President, we have to make the government work. Make it work for the Filipino people — not for the corrupt, not for political dynasties, and not for those who put their own interests above the nation," the party said in its statement.
"Mahiya ka naman, Mr. President. Panahon nang may managot. Panahon nang kumilos." (It is time for accountability. It is time to act.)
Why This Matters
The Liberal Party's pre-SONA challenge places the flood control controversy — first raised by Marcos himself during his 2025 address — back at the center of national political discourse, underscoring public pressure for prosecutions and fund recovery one year after the disclosures. The statement reflects broader opposition demands on governance issues, including an Anti-Political Dynasty Law that remains unlegislated despite a clear constitutional mandate, and the ongoing situation in the West Philippine Sea. With Marcos set to deliver his fifth SONA on Monday, July 27, 2026, the opposition's message signals that accountability — not new promises — will be the measure by which his address is judged.
Photo credit: Photo from Liberal Party of the Philippines / Facebook