From “Robs to Riches”: Scandal Constructivation, Democratic Ambivalence, and Pagsasaayos in the Philippines

This research note examines Philippine corruption scandals from the dual vantage of citizen and scholar. Building on my concept of scandal constructivation, I argue that scandals are not simply signs of democratic defect but communicative events that dramatize democracy’s ambivalence. The DPWH flood control scandal illustrates this: outrage turned comic in the “robs to riches” quip, while blame extended to contractors’ children, exposing relational accountability. Local publics—through gossip, assemblies, and social media—oscillated between vigilance and cynicism. In the Global South, scandals disrupt structures yet provoke repair, serving as resources for rethinking public engagement, legitimacy, and democracy.