07/09/2025
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ | TRACING THE ROOT WHERE IT ALL STARTED
When a government agency has been entrusted a serious responsibility, they must not afford to fail, as failing themselves means failing the citizens. A statement that hits hard specially now that the Philippines is facing an issue surrounding the alleged collusion of private contractors, lawmakers, and Department of Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, particularly concerning the flood control projects during the past three years of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.โs administration. One primary piece of news that sparked the issue was when President Marcos disclosed on August 11, 2025, that 20 percent of all flood control projects went to only 15 contractors, in which he expressed that the number is enormous to be distributed to 15 contractors. Subsequently, it escalated when President Marcos discovered in an inspection that a 220-meter flood control project in Bulacan was recorded as completed and fully paid for Php55 million despite not being constructed. From then on, investigations were made and are still ongoing but the question lies in who should be the primary responsible for the alleged corruption. Apparently, those three bodies mentioned earlier have a fair share of fault, but the government should focus on the root cause of it all; the officials from the DPWH who failed to act on their responsibility and indirectly put Filipinos in a risky situation during rainy reasons all because of their negligence. After all, all of this wouldnโt happen if they strictly monitored the projects and safeguarded their quality since they are the executing agency.
The first reason why the DPWH officials should bear primary accountability for the anomalies in flood control projects is the lack of coordination with the LGU, particularly in Quezon City wherein Senator Risa Hontiveros disclosed on Sep 2, 2025, that only two out of 254 flood controls projects in the said city were approved by city authorities. Isnโt it necessary for a project to be coordinated with the locals so that they can have a say regarding the construction, especially with the fact that they will be the beneficiaries of it? Coordination could have been instrumental in monitoring the projects but the agency failed to do that, leading them to be questioned. One might say that applying for a numerous certificate of coordination is taxing, which might result in failing to comply, but the thing is, Itโs part of their job, and they are paid by the citizensโ tax, so ultimately they must do their job properly. Second is the granting of contracts to corporations that are undercapitalized, in which Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian stated that one of the contractors only had a Php250,00 paid-up capital but managed to get 58 projects worth Php5.02 billion. Logically, the projects constructed by this corporation would surely result in substandard products because as the saying goes โyou cannot give what you donโt haveโ. Further, the so-called โghost projectโ in Bulacan was a direct evidence proving the agencyโs negligence because how can the money of the taxpayers be wasted for nothing while Filipinos suffer from the constant flooding? Related to that is another โghost flood control projectโ in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, where the barangay chairman was shocked to learn that a said project in the area had already been funded and supposedly completed despite not existing at all. As said by Senator Panfilo Lacson on August 20, 2025, the project was allocated Php192.99 million according to DPWH website, a very large number and yet no actual structure can be seen. It is important to note that Oriental Mindoro is a flood prone area, so it's hard to imagine that this is what the citizens are getting after paying taxes. A place that is supposed to be protected from flood still gets flooded because of greedy acts. Hence, Mindoreรฑos are left troubled on how they can get through the day during rainy seasons. Likewise, the agencyโs negligence led contractors to earn up to 60 percent of allocated funds while only 40 percent reached the intended flood control project, as said by Sen. Raffy Tulfo. Basically saying that payments are made to contractors and proponents even before the project is completed, creating potential deception and false accomplishment reports. In this case, it is highly possible for the contractors to defraud the flood control projects, knowing that they are paid prior to the actual deadline of construction. Because of this act tolerated by the DPWH officials, the contractors just had the confidence to do detrimental action, and it is evident in those substandard projects. Last and the most important is the granting of contracts to corporations that are supposed to be disqualified from joining new government biddings because they have poor or unsatisfactory ratings. The Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CPES) implementing guidelines states that the mentioned rating should ideally result in a contractorโs disqualification from future biddings so how did those corporations manage to have contracts for flood control projects? Itโs definitely suspicious because DPWH could have granted those contractors that have clear records, but they chose to grant only the biggest, as if they think a famous name would equate to a desirable project.
With all that is happening in the government, It is truly enraging to apprehend that the public finances are being spent unjustly, and worse, wasted for nothing knowing that those finances came from the sweat and hardships of Filipinos. As a citizen, it is reasonable to feel such emotion as we yearn for reform and betterment of our nation in the hopes of living at least a decent life. However, the status quo of the Philippines says itโs far from making it into a realization. While investigations concerning the flood control projects are still ongoing, the government should first focus on the primary body that is accountable because the problem lies within the agency and its inadvertence. Let's just hope that this issue will be given the attention and justice that it deserves. Let us not put into waste what the Filipinos are fighting from the very beginning, and that is to be given proper treatment by the government. Let us not be silenced about this issue and instead use our platform to raise awareness, to be a vessel of knowledge to the others so that they can understand how serious and pressing it is. As students and as citizens of the Philippines, it is our responsibility to have a care in our public finances, especially if they are being stolen by covetous individuals. After all, corrupt officials are the ones who must be afraid, not us.
๐จ Abby Villajuan
