This inquiry interrogates the experiences of local implementation actors of the Philippine Department of Education as they navigate through reform efforts within systemic corruption. Departing from dominant analytical paradigms centred on patron-client frameworks, the article introduces the typology of complex linkages where local actors play their roles as they find themselves trapped in between the powerful discourse of reform on the one hand and corruption on the other. Empirical findings of how local actors make sense of the challenges of reform amidst corruption as well as reflections towards greater analytical clarity are proposed. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables, and 5 notes.)