Not inflation or crime — this is the #1 worry for Filipinos in 2025, survey shows
Grease money nation? How everyday graft now outshines the Bataan Nuclear boondoggle
Manila: Forget inflation, crime, or even joblessness — what really keeps Filipinos up at night?
Corruption.
For the fourth quarter in a row, a national survey shows it’s still the country’s number one public enemy.
According to Publicus Asia’s latest 2025 “Pahayag” survey, 21% of voters put corruption at the top of their list of national headaches.
And among senior citizens, that jumps to a whopping 31%.
That’s right — lolos and lola’s not mad about rising prices, theyre’s mad about the “fixers.”
And who can blame them?
From ₱8,000 shortcuts to a driver’s licence (no road test needed) to secret handshakes for faster hookups from some electric cooperatives, the underground economy is alive and thriving in the bureaucracy.
Need a permit or paper? There's always someone who "knows a guy."
Even billion-peso infrastructure projects are especially a favourite target.
Kickbacks inflate budgets, and taxpayers end up footing the bill for roads that crumble faster than a soggy siopao.
The Marcos Jr. administration is under pressure — again — to walk the talk on accountability. Because in the Philippines, it's not just red tape — it's red tape with a price tag.
Remember the ₱100‑billion* (*US $2‑billion‑plus) Bataan Nuclear Power Plant fiasco?
That was the original blockbuster of Philippine corruption. Fast‑forward to 2025, and the sequel has gone micro‑budget — but it’s showing in every town.
From mega to mini grafts
Barangay‑sized projects, barangay‑sized bribes. Contractors now pad even sidewalk repairs with “ghost gravel” fees, inflating costs while leaving taxpayers to trip on potholes.
Permit roulette. Need a zoning or building permit? Slip a crisp bill (or three) to your friendly local official and watch regulations magically evaporate — along with urban safety.
By the Numbers (brace yourself)
Ranked 114/180 on Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index — score: 33/100. That’s shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Laos and Mongolia, miles behind the clean neighbours on the block.
21 % of voters still pick corruption as Public Enemy No. 1 (PQ2‑2025 survey). Among lolos and lolas (senior citizens), it’s 31 % — they’ve seen this movie too many times.
UN 2025 rap sheet: It found that watchdogs (Ombudsman, Commission on Audit) are under‑funde and demands real muscle for high‑level probes.
₱700 Billion+ lost annually
According to former Deputy Ombudsman Cyril Ramos (2018), the Philippines loses around ₱700 billion a year to corruption — roughly 20% of the national budget. That figure has been widely cited since and remains a stark benchmark for the scale of the problem.
GDP Impact
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has stated that corruption can shave off as much as 1–2% of GDP growth in developing countries. In a ₱25-trillion economy (approx. 2025), that’s ₱250–₱500 billion in lost economic activity every year.
Opportunity cost
Every peso lost to corruption is a school not built, a vaccine not delivered, or a job not created. At ₱700 billion, that's:
Over 5 million college scholarships
Around 300,000 socialised housing units
More than 1,400 modern hospitals
Usual suspects
Most Filipino cops are pros and do honest-to-goodness jobs; evidence has emerge that some form part of “criminal syndicates”, as side hustles.
Padrino system — because who needs merit when you’ve got a powerful “ninong”/”ninang”?
There are reports emerging showing that a judget is on the take from a criminal syndicate.
Why it hurts
Kickbacks mean flimsier roads, shakier bridges, sclerotic bureaucracy. Money that should fight floods or climate change instead funds luxury SUVs and beachfront condos.
Tiny rays of hope
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is courting civil society watchdogs and pushing e‑governance dashboards.
A new generation of public servants is driving digitisation of government transactions. This could help curb discretion on the part of public officials, and cut red tape. Business groups, NGOs, and fed‑up citizens are demanding receipts — literally.
Digital governance is gaining ground
Sure, corruption’s a chronic disease — but the immune system is fighting back. Slowly, quietly. Sometimes with a glare and a clipboard.
A few glimmers:
Government agencies are finally moving services online. With less face-to-face contact, there’s less room for shady “facilitation fees.” Hello e-permits, goodbye envelope-under-the-table. For example, the application and payment of fees to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) as part of building permit process is now via digital cash (i.e. Maya). It’s not up to speed yet, but way better.
Civil society is pushing back
Groups various watchdog NGOs are teaming up with agencies like the DILG to audit local budgets and sniff out ghost projects. Community-based monitoring is proving that ordinary citizens can — and do — blow the whistle.
Filipino youth are louder and less tolerant
A new generation of Filipinos is growing up allergic to corruption. They’re online, vocal, and unafraid to call out shady dealings on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, FB or wherever hashtags trend. Corruption isn't cool anymore.
More eyes, more scrutiny
Tools like the Freedom of Information (FOI) portal, citizen feedback mechanisms, and open procurement data platforms have made it harder to hide dirty deals. A few cities and provinces are becoming mini case studies in transparency.
The Courts are starting to move — a little
While the pace is glacial, some high-profile graft cases have led to actual convictions. It’s not a flood, but it’s a start — and a signal that impunity isn’t totally bulletproof. Crime syndicates, often working with rogue cops, are getting exposed, the the body of evidence brought against them.
Private sector is wising up
Business leaders are joining calls for cleaner governance, realising corruption is bad for stability and growth. Ethical procurement and compliance programs are slowly becoming industry norms.
Legislation updated
Laws are getting updated. Result: More private money is funding public projects. New laws have done away with archaic rules, though some processes stay in the pre-war status: why should 5 sets of printed and engineers-sealed building plans be submitted physically to the city engineer, then delay the approval because one copy is missing?
It’s not yet a revolution — but the lights aren’t completely out.
The fight against corruption in the Philippines may still be uphill, but at least people have started walking, phones in hand, receipts at the ready.
Cost of corruption
The endless rerun of kickbacks and the persistence of grease money, inefficiency – a serious lack of accountability – continues to weigh heavily on the Filipino’s dream to get out of poverty.
The cost of corruption in the Philippines is massive — measured not just in pesos, but in lost opportunities, substandard services, and eroded public trust. Here’s a breakdown of what experts and institutions estimate:
It’s not a dead-end, but Filipinos need to move faster: political will nees to grows sharper teeth — and watchdogs get bigger bites — or it's just more of the same gnawing at Filipino taxpayers' wallets and trust alike.
The PQ2-2025 survey underscores that despite other pressing issues like inflation, poverty, and crime, corruption remains the average Filipinos’ foremost concern.
The call for greater transparency, accountability, and public participation in government processes is growing louder.
The clamour is clear — more transparency, more accountability, and more citizen power. A new generation is stepping up, and their battle cry is loud and proud: Good, efficient governance or more of the same.
Infrastructure markups
World Bank studies suggest that corruption in public infrastructure can inflate project costs by 20% to 30%. That’s money that could have built more roads, schools, or flood control systems — but instead disappears into kickbacks.
Where it hurts the most
Infrastructure: Substandard roads, ghost bridges, and overpriced contracts drain public funds.
Public services: From health to education, quality is compromised when funds are siphoned off.
Business environment: Corruption raises the cost of doing business, discourages investment, and favors cronies over competition.
Urban development: Bribes for permits lead to chaotic construction, weak zoning, and unsafe buildings.
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