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From his home in Manila, Luxembourg national Ralph Becker describes a Philippines grappling with the immense destruction of Typhoon Fung-Wong, where isolated communities face a monumental cleanup and public anger grows over corruption that exacerbates the crisis.
The death toll from Typhoon Fung-Wong has risen to 18 in the Philippines, where floodwaters are only now receding from hundreds of villages. Many regions, particularly in the provinces of Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya, remain isolated as the nation begins a massive cleanup operation expected to take weeks, if not months.
The super typhoon made landfall on the eastern part of the main island of Luzon on Sunday evening, with its impact felt along more than 1,000 kilometres of coastline.
"The latest storm swept across the entire country", said Ralph Becker, a Luxembourg national who has lived in Manila for a decade. "Here in the capital, we got off lightly, but in the places where the storm first hit, the destruction is immense", he stressed.
Recovery efforts are hampered by ongoing rain in some areas. Civil defence authorities report that roads, power lines, and communication cables need to be completely rebuilt.
Becker noted that while Filipinos are resilient in the face of frequent disasters, systemic issues magnify the burden. "The people are always described as resilient – and they are. But there's a lack of careful planning and investment in infrastructure. Corruption often plays a big part in that", he stated.
Protests demand accountability
This sentiment is echoed by a growing public outcry. In recent months, several cases have emerged where funds intended for critical flood barriers and water management projects were misappropriated.
"This has triggered significant anger", Becker explained, adding, "People are demanding transparency and for those responsible to finally be held accountable."
This frustration culminated in September, when over 100,000 people took to the streets in protest. Their signs carried messages such as, "We are marching through floodwaters while you waste our money!".
The protests were largely triggered by a major corruption scandal involving flood protection projects worth approximately €7.4 billion. Investigators discovered that many of the awarded contracts were non-existent, while others were poorly executed or not carried out at all.
A nation at the frontlines of climate change
The Philippines is ranked as one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. Situated in a high-risk region, the archipelago is struck by more than 10 major storms annually during the rainy season from June to November. Climate change is intensifying this pattern, making these typhoons both more frequent and more powerful.
Becker framed the issue in global terms: "We here are just the victims of a problem that started in Western countries", he stated. "But now we have to figure out how to build better and how to adapt for the coming decades", Becker concluded.
In response to the devastation caused by Typhoon Fung-Wong, Becker has launched a donation campaign to provide direct support to those affected on the ground.
