Fellow senators expressed their support for Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s exposé on corruption in flood control projects in various regions in the country on Wednesday, August 20.
In his privilege speech, Lacson covered the anomalies, “ghost” or fictitious projects, as well as those that have proven defective in Bulacan, Pampanga, La Union, and Oriental Mindoro.
The first to back Lacson was Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva, who voiced relief over having apparently been absolved of accusations of being behind the anomalous projects in Bulacan—a region Lacson singled out as the most “notorious” for such practices.
Meanwhile, Senator Erwin Tulfo said pocketing funds for flood projects was blatant theft of the public treasury, which officials do, knowing they will not be held accountable. In addition, he said, now is the right time for action, before the country is submerged in floodwaters again.
Former Senate President Miguel “Migz” Zubiri requested a second part to the speech and pressed for the identification of the lawmakers responsible for the congressional insertion of flood control projects. He noted that these do not appear in the National Expenditure Program (NEP), but emerge only after passing through the bicameral conference committee.
“I laud our distinguished colleague Senator Lacson for this speech, but I’m hoping that he can give a part two, kasi kulang pa po ‘yun. For example… marami rin pong ghost projects sa Bicol, maraming palpak na projects sa Bicol, lalo na sa home province of my mother sa Albay,” he stated.
Zubiri shared that he was in Albay in 2024 and was frequently asked what he would do to alleviate their flooding problem.
“At alam ko na po noong panahon na iyon na napakalaki ang natatanggap nila, pero wala pa ring nangyayari,” he said.
Senator Risa Hontiveros conveyed shock over the billions lost to corruption, whilst the everyday Filipino is “drowning” in basic expenses, a shortfall in wages, and the impacts of calamities—also due to a lack of government response and services offered.
“Mayorya po ng mga Pilipino ay kumakayod ng tapat at nakikipagsapalaran ng patas. Insulto po na ang buwis na kinakaltas at dapat ginagamit para sa kanila ay inaanod lang sa baha ng korapsyon,” she said.
Furthermore, she pointed out that ordinary citizens would immediately find themselves behind bars if they steal, possibly ruining their lives. However, corruption is simply accepted as a part of life.
Senator Loren Legarda also came forward to show her support. She proposed a measure that aims not only to penalize misconduct but to nip it in the bud.
“That is why we support these long-term approaches, and there is a proposed ‘Tapat na Paglilingkod’ pending measure, which does not only punish wrongdoing, but seeks to prevent it by embedding strategies that promote integrity in planning, budgeting and service delivery by protecting whistleblowers by making agencies map their own corruption risks and by teaching integrity as early as (in) our schools,” she said.
“I would like to commend our esteemed colleague… And yes, we must investigate, we must prosecute, but alongside, we must also nurture a culture of tapat na paglilingkod so that the next generation will not even think twice about choosing honesty,” she added.
On Wednesday, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. saw for himself that a reportedly completed riverwall in Baliuag, Bulacan, a flood control project, had “not even one hollow block” in place. He said he is mulling over filing economic sabotage charges against those involved in this “ghost project.”
