Singer-actress Regine Velasquez voiced her frustration over corruption in the Philippines, contrasting the difficulty ordinary citizens face in securing funds for major purchases with the seeming ease with which some government projects worth billions push through without proper documentation.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Velasquez shared that she and husband Ogie Alcasid are currently renovating their son Nate’s room, a relatively small project that still required contracts and receipts.
“We are renovating Nate’s room now maliit na halaga lang ito and yet we have contracts we have receipts. Hindi ko maintindihan bat yung naglalakihang proyekto wala? Bilyon [bilyon] tapos cash lahat??? Nagtatanong lang po,” she wrote.
The Kapamilya star pointed out how difficult it is for regular Filipinos to secure loans or make large purchases, as banks require collateral and conduct stringent checks before approving applications.
“Sa pangkaraniwang mamayan tulad natin pag may gusto tayong bilhin o ipagawa at medyo malakilaking halaga, daan daang proseso ang kailangang pagdaanan. Naroong dapat may kolateral para ma pag desisyunan ng pagkakautangan na ikaw ay karapat dapat,” she explained.
She added that for ordinary people, it involves sacrifice and determination: “Ang interes na pagbabayaran, ang amortization, at ang pangkalahatang pagsisikap na bunuin ang halagang kakailanganin buwan buwan ay di madaling pagdesisyunan. May kaukulang tapang, pagpupursigi, at pananampalataya upang ito ay maisakatapuran.”
Velasquez then contrasted this with how easily officials seem to move money in government projects.
“Ganito kahirap makakuha ng pondo para matupad ang pangarap mo. Pero sa kanila parang ang dali dali lang ano??” she remarked.
Her husband Ogie Alcasid responded to her post, echoing her concern: “Paano pa kaya mahal yung hindi pa makautang. Walang pangkolateral. Napakalayo ng pagkakaiba.”
Velasquez’s comments come amid the ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) flood control projects, where lawmakers revealed evidence of overpriced contracts, lavish kickbacks, and missing documentation for billions worth of projects.
