The Office of the Ombudsman has recorded a sharp increase in complaints linked to flood control infrastructure projects, with 209 cases now under fact-finding investigation in just the first half of 2026, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Tuesday.
The latest figure is nearly double the 124 complaints logged in 2025, underscoring growing concerns over accountability in government-funded infrastructure projects and the management of public resources.
Remulla relayed the update through a video message during the Southeast Asian Ombudsman Forum (SEAOF), which the Philippines is currently hosting. He is in New York for the 7th Global Conference on Sustainable Development at the United Nations Headquarters.
In his message, Remulla said the Ombudsman continues to play a frontline role in addressing governance issues tied to flood control programs, which he described as involving serious questions on transparency and the safeguarding of public funds.
He also reported that aside from the fact-finding cases in 2025, 36 complaints had already advanced to preliminary investigation or administrative adjudication. For 2026, he said, several cases have moved further into formal proceedings, with four already filed before the courts.
“Beyond these numbers is a deeper responsibility to strengthen public trust and demonstrate that accountability institutions can respond with independence, fairness, professionalism, and resolve,” Remulla said.
He also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation through SEAOF in strengthening oversight systems across Southeast Asia, noting the upcoming inclusion of the Sarawak Ombudsman into the network.
Remulla welcomed the development, describing it as the start of a deeper institutional partnership grounded in shared governance and accountability principles.
He likewise acknowledged the continued support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), particularly its collaboration on comparative studies and assistance in shaping the CEAF Strategic Roadmap 2027–2028, which was discussed during a senior officials’ meeting in Manila earlier this year.
According to Remulla, these joint efforts are helping participating institutions better understand each other’s governance models while strengthening regional cooperation on accountability and oversight.