Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is calling for the creation of an independent body to investigate alleged anomalies and irregularities in government flood control projects, citing long-standing corruption that he believes has only worsened over the years.
In an interview with DZRH Dos Por Dos, Lacson said that the probe should not be handled solely by senators or congressmen instead civil society groups and non-government organizations (NGOs) can play a crucial role in exposing what’s happening on the ground,
“Kung makakapag-suggest ako, mas maganda huwag na lang i-limit sa DPWH 'yung pag-o-audit, pag-inspection at pag-review sa mga flood control projects. Mas maganda kung makaform tayo ng gobyerno ng isang independent body,” Lacson said.
“Marami namang mag-volunteer dyan. Dahil marami rin pagod na sa ating mga kababayan na willing na tumulong dyan,’ he added.
He also expressed support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s strong stance against corruption in infrastructure projects—particularly when the president said in his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), “Mahiya naman kayo!”
“Marami ang tinamaan doon actually,” Lacson said.
“Ako gusto ko pa rin maniwala na marami marami rin naman doon sa audience na hindi nadumihan ng grasa ng flood control project. Marami doon kaya yung mga pumalakpak doon at 'yong sumama sa standing ovation, totoo 'yun na natutuwa sila pero marami din naman doon ang mga sabihin na natin mga shameless na ipokrito, ipokrita,” he added.
Lacson, who served as senator for nearly two decades and chaired critical budget deliberations, said the President’s statement that “someone will be held accountable” is significant only if followed by concrete action.
Lacson warned that flood control projects have become a haven for corruption, with budgets ballooning while floodwaters continue to rise.
"Napakalaking isyu ito [flood control project]. Hindi na ito biro-biro — ano na ’to, may national security suspects na ito. ’Yung climate change, national security concern ’yan. Pero ’yun nga, ang climate change ang laging natuturo, pero actually, self-inflicted ang karamihan sa baha sa atin," he pointed out.
"Ang sabi ko nga, bakit over the years parang direktang proportional ang pag-akyat ng flood waters sa pagdagdag ng ating budget para sa flood control?," Lacson questioned.
Even before the SONA, Lacson said he and his team were already reviewing flood control budgets in preparation for the 2026 budget season. He traced back allocations as far as 2011 under former President Benigno Aquino III, noting suspicious patterns in the DPWH’s use of funds.
In some cases before, Lacson claimed, up to five simultaneous projects worth ₱50 million each, totaling ₱2.5 billion were executed using a single backhoe that merely rotated between project sites.
“Iisang backhoe lang yung palipat-lipat. Lilipat sa ibang lugar, sa ibang project. Doon naman, magbubungkal. Tapos lilipat na naman susunod. Isipin mo, 50 proyekto na iisang backhoe halos ang ginagamit. So kung tutusin, maswerte na kung gumastos ng 500 million yun, 2.5 billion. Eh di, dalawang billion kaagad yung nakulimbat," he recalled.
He added that many of these projects have no supporting documents or feasibility studies.
“Wala ngang mga program support yun, yun nga yung singit ng mga congressman, mga senador, na walang pinanggalingan," the Senator revealed.
Lacson remarks comes amid growing public scrutiny over the efficiency and integrity of various flood mitigation efforts, especially in light of recent severe typhoon events that still resulted in widespread flooding despite billions spent on infrastructure
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is currently preparing to submit a comprehensive list of all flood control projects to Marcos, following his recent directive to the agency.
