We share the blame

“A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.”

—John Burroughs

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

INSTEAD of bellyaching and finger-pointing, let’s analyze and first face the mirror.

While public officials who stole billions of pesos of taxpayer's money in flood control projects deserve to die by musketry, we can’t entirely fault them each time our streets are flooded during monsoon rains and enhanced weather disturbances.

Except in many inundated areas where a sizable percentage of funds in flood control projects were pocketed in “ghost” and substandard projects, some areas in the Philippines are problematic since time immemorial and prone to flooding during typhoons.

If the waterways are clogged, it’s because some of us are irresponsible and don’t observe the proper ways of garbage disposal. Floods will really cascade if plastic trash and debris block vital drainage channels, canals, and natural waterways or esteros.

The mushrooming of concrete roads and buildings owing to rapid urbanization will prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground, drastically increasing surface runoff.

Clearing forests in upland and watershed areas in deforestation also removes natural barriers that slow down rainwater, leading to fast-moving flash floods.

 

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We are actually partly to blame for the flash floods, not just the good-for-nothing government officials now facing plunder and malversation of public funds raps in the Sandiganbayan.

Heavy flooding did not actually occur first when corrupt DPHW officials started to bilk the public coffers in nefarious transactions.

Even during both the 1950s and the 1960s, there were significant and deadly floods in the Philippines, often triggered by severe tropical storms, monsoons, and typhoons.

To name a few, torrential rains and flooding overflowed regional rivers in Northern Luzon in July 1957, leaving nearly 1,000 dead after Typhoon Wendy battered the area in one of the worst rural disasters of the decade.

There were heavy downpours from Tropical Storm Lucille causing catastrophic deluges and flash floods, and left hundreds dead (estimates range up to 500) and tens of thousands homeless in Manila and its surrounding suburbs in May 1960.

There were blinding rain squalls that brought intense flash floods to low-lying districts of Manila, paralyzing traffic and severely inundating areas like Sampaloc and Santa Cruz.

 

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The deadliest type of flash floods reportedly develops within hours, move rapidly, and carry debris with powerful currents. In the Philippines, intense typhoon or monsoon rainfall can trigger flash floods with little warning, especially in mountainous areas, river valleys, and low-lying communities, according to Ecoflow.

The causes of floods in the Philippines extend beyond heavy rainfall, concludes the Ecoflow.

“Water may accumulate because drainage systems are overwhelmed, flow rapidly from upland areas, spill from rivers, or move inland from the coast,” it explains.

“In many cases, several of these processes occur together. Knowing how flooding usually develops in a particular community helps households follow the right warnings and act before water levels rise.”

“Monitoring official updates, protecting essential items, and leaving early when instructed remain the most important steps during a flood emergency.”

 

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The United States and ally Philippines celebrated the 75th anniversary of the 1951 United States-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, the foundation of their ironclad Alliance August 29.

The Treaty remains an enduring testament to the two nations’ unwavering commitment to each other’s defense and security. This year also marked the 80th anniversary of United States-Philippines diplomatic relations – eight decades defined by shared history, shared sacrifices, and a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, of which the Treaty has played an integral part.

“As we look ahead to the next eight decades of U.S.-Philippines relations, the United States reaffirms our commitment to deepening our relationship with the Philippines, to honoring our obligations in the Treaty, and to advancing our vibrant economic relationship through initiatives like the Luzon Economic Corridor,” the US Department of State announced in a statement.

“The rock-solid ties between our peoples underpin everything we do together as Allies.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

Battles we fight on all fronts

“No one is perfect in this world, and we all have our battles, but it's the way we get back on our feet and turn it around that really counts.”

—Tiffany Thornton

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WITH the myriad of problems we face nowadays, can the Filipino people survive?

We assume that most of us are aware the Philippine peso has further dropped to a record closing low against the U.S. dollar on August 27, 2026.

It fell 23.8 centavos to settle at P61.888 per U.S. dollar, beating the previous record closing low of P61.847 set on July 24, 2026. And it’s only in the third quarter of 2026.

Also, our outstanding external (foreign) debt stood at $147.35 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2026, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

It is equivalent to approximately P9,126,490,625,000.00 or P9.13 trillion.

In a population of 117.8 million Filipinos, even those who aren’t born yet are already “indebted.” 

Being buried in foreign debt will force the Philippines to spend a massive share of its money on loan payments instead of local needs.

This means our excessive external debt creates a "debt overhang" that slows down long-term economic growth and discourages stable investment.

 

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In terms of corruption, the Philippines is now reportedly ranked 120th out of 182 countries globally in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

As a leading global indicator published annually by Transparency International, CPI measures the perceived level of public sector corruption based on data from expert assessments and business executive surveys.

We received a score of 32 out of 100 (where 0 means highly corrupt and 100 means very clean).

We may not be the most corrupt country in the world, but being in the top 120 is not something Filipinos all over the world should be proud of; the score falls well below the global average of 42.

To compound the matter, the Philippines performs near the lower end, ranking ahead of only Cambodia and Myanmar in the regional breakdown in Southeast Asia.

Due to entrenched political dynasties, weak public institutions, and high poverty rates that drive patronage politics, the Philippines is perceived as corrupt.

After the country gained independence in 1946, systems of graft and elite control took root dating back during the Spanish and American colonial eras and persisted.

 

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Also, even if we are not at risk of the specific type of glacial-collapse or glacial-lake outburst flash flood that struck Nepal and Tibet recently, the Philippines faces a very high and frequent threat from severe, monsoon—and typhoon-driven flash floods and debris flows.

The difference is the catastrophic disaster along the Nepal-Tibet border was reportedly caused by a high-altitude "hazard cascade"—a collapsing Himalayan glacier and ice avalanche that created massive, sudden walls of mud and water without initial heavy rainfall.

We have a tropical maritime climate with high mountain ranges (such as the Cordillera Central) in the Philippines, but geological experts say it does not feature permanent alpine glaciers or glacial lakes capable of a glacial outburst.

Philippine flash floods are driven by intense tropical downpours from typhoons and the southwest monsoon (Habagat), while the Nepal event happened during clear skies from an ice/rock collapse.

Local geological experts add that the Philippines experiences its own version of violent "debris flows"—mixtures of wet concrete-like mud, rocks, and sand rushing down steep mountain slopes—such as those triggered by past severe storms and heavy rains.

Due to its geographical fragmentation and heavy exposure to extreme weather, the Philippines faces recurrent flooding emergencies in low-lying floodplains, mining regions, and rapidly urbanized river basins.

 

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WE are still currently in the Age of Pieces but in a transition period and moving slowly toward the Age of Aquarius.

The Age of Pieces is associated with the last 2,000 years, marked by traditional authority, spiritual sacrifice, and collective religious structures.

The Age of Aquarius, on the other hand, is associated with future innovation, global connectivity, technology, and group consciousness.

This multi-century crossover is viewed by most experts as a twilight phase where Piscean traits fade and Aquarian traits emerge.

The Age of Aquarius is an astrological era linked to the slow shift of Earth’s axis known as the precession of the equinoxes. It marks a transition from Pisces to Aquarius and is associated with innovation, collective thinking, and global connectivity, according to Almanac.

It explains that something that most people don’t know is that the position of the planets in the zodiac signs is different astrologically than they are astronomically.

If one were to look through a telescope at the celestial bodies, they would not be traversing the actual constellations the way that astrologers say they are, adds the Almanac.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

Grabato’s $150,000 bounty too tempting

“Sometimes the scandal is not what law was broken, but what the law allows.”

—Edward Snowden

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE wrote a series of articles about the case of controversial Iloilo balikbayan businessman Rey E. Grabato II on October 25 and 26, 2022, or four years before the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uploaded his photos on its “Most Wanted Fraudster” website.

Now, the case has become viral. Grabato’s face or faces are all over the Internet and in the websites of major international media networks.

What a disaster for someone who is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

Social media jerks even profoundly emphasized his being an “Ilonggo” as if ethnicity conjures an unyielding intent to commit impropriety.

We learned that Grabato has been in sickbay since returning from the United States.

Now that the FBI has offered a reward of up to $150,000 (around Philippine P9 million) for information that leads to Grabato’s arrest and conviction, will someone from Mina or nearby Iloilo municipalities take advantage of the large and tempting bounty?

 

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We all know that large cash rewards frequently motivate or galvanize friends, close associates, and family members to turn in wanted fugitives.

A cash reward or bounty will always create a powerful excitement and motivation to put personal gain above loyalty. Turning on a friend can remove a threat or secure survival in competitive or high-stakes environments.

Loyal or not, some friends-turned-tipsters easily convince themselves that "it is just business" or "just a game," making the betrayal feel less personal to them.

On the part of those who love and sympathize with him, hiding a fugitive or living on the run creates immense stress, fear, and resentment within a family or friend group, wearing down loyalty over time.

Also, there is immense concern informants often worry that if they do not turn the person in, they might get caught helping them or face legal trouble themselves.

After the US Department of Justice revealed they have filed cases against the now 47-year-old Grabato, a Filipino citizen, for conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to tax, we wrote that “the scandal that walloped the Grabato political family in Mina, Iloilo was like a hurricane.”

 

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All of a sudden, they became the talk of the town; their enemies could be ecstatic after news spread around the globe (that’s the power of the Internet media) that the son of couple Rey and Lydia, both prominent political leaders in the third district of Iloilo, was indicted in New Jersey for alleged involvement in a $650 million Ponzi scheme and conspiring to evade $26 million in US federal tax liabilities.

Lydia Grabato is the former mayor of Mina, Iloilo, while husband Rey is the incumbent mayor. They had been scheduled to talk to the Iloilo press on October 25, 2022 “to clear matters” but called it off.

The cases against the accused son were filed in the United States. The alleged accomplice, Thomas Nicholas Salzano, 64, of Secaucus, in New Jersey, was already arrested.

The son Grabato, who isn’t a US citizen, was believed to have fled to the Philippines when the scandal erupted in New Jersey after the pandemic.

It wasn’t immediately known if the Grabato couple would present their son or defend him in absentia.

It was not also known if the parents would convince the son to surrender although they already issued a statement that he was sick and being taken care of in an undisclosed location.

 

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The Grabatos aren’t only known as political leaders and allies of Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and former governor Arthur Defensor Sr., but also as a “wealthy” family that owns several businesses in Iloilo province.

No one has openly linked their wealth to the son’s alleged fraudulent activities in the United States that resulted in 18 counts of criminal cases.

The parents have not been linked to graft and corruption and illegal activities and were known to be “outstanding” public servants.

But there were reportedly ugly whispers and speculations both from their friends and enemies that may not be good to the ears of the family.

Some people say, “it is better to be charged in court and go to jail for murder than to be involved in a grand thievery, get arrested and thrown behind bars.”

The son Grabato, who hasn’t issued a public statement since the scandal erupted, is still presumed innocent until proven guilty.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

Our international embarrassment

“And now I've got to explain the smell that was in there before I went in there. Does that ever happen to you? It's not your fault. You've held your breath, you just wanna get out, and now you open the door and you have to explain, 'Oh! Listen, there's an odor in there and I didn't do it. It's bad.”

—Ellen DeGeneres

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

AREN’T we ashamed?

If graft and corruption have given us international humiliation, garbage problem has given us international embarrassment.

Our dignity as a nation has been compromised and continues to ebb owing to these successive crises.

If our elected officials are not accused of plunder and malversation of public funds, they are derided and mocked for incompetence—especially their failure to repair and maintain our drainage system, or for pocketing billions of funds intended for flood control projects.

Trash piled up and clogged the drainage because some irresponsible residents in the squatter colonies also polluted their surroundings and didn’t observe proper disposal of garbages.  

Although humiliation is worse than embarrassment because it directly attacks our core dignity and leaves a deep, lasting wound, embarrassment makes us objects of derision.

 

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Embarrassment can feel bad because it triggers a painful physical and emotional threat response driven by the fear of social judgment and rejection.

Such is the predicament the Philippines is in today following the spread on the internet of videos and photos recently showing a sea of trash clogged drainage systems in Parañaque City, one of the 16 cities comprising Metro Manila.

Although joint clearing operations have significantly reduced the volume of garbage, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called the garbage situation critical.

Authorities working in the Baclaran channel reportedly cleared roughly 45 truckloads of waste—totaling 500 tons—over just a few days this month.

Trash continued to pile up overnight due to unpredictable wind currents carrying waste from Manila Bay.

As of this writing, cleanup operations remained continuous as discarded plastics block vital water pumps.

 

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The float heap of garbage, which clogged the Redemptorist Water Channel in Barangay Baclaran, was described by Palace as “truly shocking” even as officials also backed stronger local government penalties for improper disposal by residents and visitors.

Authorities have reported 72 truckloads — about 396.6 metric tons — of waste hauled over three days, with operations continuing using additional equipment including floating backhoes and a trash skimmer, as of August 12, 2026.

Come to think of it: 500 tons of trash is equals 1,000,000 pounds of garbage, which is roughly the weight of 40 to 50 fully loaded municipal garbage trucks.

Exactly 1,000,000 pounds (calculated as 500 tons multiplied by 2,000 pounds per ton). It is about 45 large trucks, if each truck carries an average load of 11 tons.

It is equivalent to one full day of trash generated by a city of about 200,000 people (assuming an average of 5 pounds per person daily).

It actually matches the approximate annual number of debris collected by Baltimore's famous solar-powered trash skimmer, Mr. Trash Wheel, from the harbor each year.

 

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Why must we worry about our garbage problem? To begin with, garbage is dangerous because it spreads severe diseases, pollutes soil and water sources, and releases toxic gases that harm both human health and the environment.

According to studies, piles of trash create breeding grounds for rats, flies, and mosquitoes.

Health experts have warned that these pests carry and spread dangerous diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and malaria.

Rainwater passing through trash also reportedly creates a polluted liquid called leachate, which carries heavy metals and chemicals into underground water supplies.

Also, plastics and chemicals break down over time, releasing toxins that kill helpful soil microbes and poison plants and crops.

Rotting organic waste inside landfills also reportedly produces methane and carbon dioxide, which drive climate change. Burning garbage in the open releases poisonous chemicals and smoke that cause breathing and lung problems.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)