President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to submit a record of all flood control projects in every region for evaluation as to their completion status, success or failure on Monday, July 28.
This came in response to his inspection of the aftermath of subsequent storms Crising, Dante, and Emong, accompanied by the Southwest Monsoon or “Habagat.” Marcos did not mince words, calling many of the projects either failures (“palpak”) or fictitious (“guni-guni lang”) and slamming officials who pocket project funds.
“Sa mga nakikipagsabuwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino!” he said during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabayahan nating naanod o nalubog sa mga pagbaha. Mahiya naman kayo, lalo sa mga anak natin, na magmamana sa mga utang na ginawa ninyo nang binulsa niyo lang ang pera,” he rebuked.
The President then issued the directive to have the DPWH hand over a list of flood control projects, which the Regional Project Monitoring Committee will examine.
“So that this will not happen again: first, the DPWH will immediately submit to me a list of all flood-control projects from every region that were started or completed in the last three years. Second, the regional project monitoring committee shall examine that list of projects, and give a report on those that have been failures, those that were not finished, and those that are alleged to be ghost projects,” Marcos instructed.
Once reviewed, the list will be made public, he declared, believing the Filipino people are owed the whole truth and are capable of aiding the probe.
“And third, we will publish this list. Isasapubliko natin ang listahang ito. Kaya ang publiko, na saksi sa mga proyektong ito, ay malayang suriin ang listahan, at magbahagi ng kanilang nalalaman para makatulong sa ating imbestigasyon,” Marcos said.
Marcos added that wrongdoers who are found out in the probe will face charges, including contractors.
“Kailangan malaman ng taong-bayan ang buong katotohanan. Kailangang may managot sa naging matinding pinsala at katiwalian,” he said.
Despite cuts to their budget allocation, the DPWH received ₱1.007 trillion in 2025, the second-highest amount allocated to an agency, next to the Department of Education (DepEd).
