Democracy Watch Philippines echoes concerns that have been raised that China‐funded infrastructure projects, such as the Kaliwa Dam and the Chico River Irrigation project, have tell-tail signs of debt trap diplomacy, the possible seizure of our country’s strategic assets, and national security risks.
Most glaring is lack of transparency in the contracts and agreements of these China-funded projects, that strongly suggests irregularities. Without transparency, these investment and one-sided contracts can lead to governance gaps being exploited to influence economic, political, and social developments. As the country moves towards the end of another political cycle, all the more should the Filipino public demand to know if these infrastructure projects have in fact served the best interest of the nation or have been used to fuel the political machinations of a few.