The Issue

In August 2025, a massive corruption scandal erupted in the Philippines upon the uncovering of "ghost" incomplete or even non-existent flood control projects originally in Bulacan, leading to the uncovering of similar projects and wide-scale corruption throughout the whole country. These infrastructure projects - paid for by the Filipino peoples' taxes and livelihood - are meant to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, but instead line the pockets of immoral contractors and public officials. This criminal pocketing of public funds has destroyed the lives of the Filipino people, who are left to drown as a result of the non-existent flood projects.

Less than one month later in September 2025, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) recalled labor attaché Macy Monique Maglanque from her post in Los Angeles to face investigation after unveiling that Macy and her family are themselves beneficiaries and benefactors of corruption. The former Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Manuel Bonoan had a “family business” with Maglanque’s father. Since being recalled, Maglanque’s whereabouts remain unknown to the public.

Here's what we know:

• Macy is the president of MBB Global Properties, a real estate company whose corporate secretary is Sunshine Bernardo, the daughter of now-resigned Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan
• MBB Global Properties is a holding company of Globalcrete Builders, Inc. a contractor that secured P2.15B worth of flood control projects in Bulacan from 2018 to 2024.
• Rene Maglanque, father of Macy and owner of Globalcrete, on January 19, 2026 has been suspended for his ties to the P900-B Malampaya pork barrel.

In her own position as the labor attaché in Los Angeles, Macy Maglanque carries a disappointing track record of dismissing cases of neglect and abuse against Filipino migrant workers who go to her office seeking assistance, including for matters of wage theft, trafficking, and detention and deportation by the Trump administration.

Philippine Officials in the U.S. are often unreachable, refusing to pick up phone calls or take meetings with Filipino nationals in need of essential services like the DMW's Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan (AKYSON) fund and DFA's Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) fund. It is unacceptable that the Department of Migrant Workers - Migrant Worker Office (DMW-MWO) continues to charge fees to migrant workers while they are turned away and even shouted at by government officials like Macy for requesting assistance. AKSYON, ATN, and Philippine Consulate and embassies overseas as ghost projects themselves, much like the flood control projects back home.

We are calling on Filipinos here in Southern California to demand the following:

1. Ban Macy Maglanque from all government posts.
2. Investigate and present a public report on Macy Maglanque’s record of work for misuse of funds, irregularities, and anomalies.
3. Present a public report on the use of the ATN and AKSYON fund.
4. Investigate the assets and business holdings of Philippine government officials posted in the US. Ban public officials with private business from government positions.