No ‘Personal Travel Abroad’ for Now among DPWH Employees as Ordered by Chief
DPWH chief Manuel Bonoan ordered the temporary suspension of the release of travel authority for personnel who want to go on ‘personal travel’ abroad amid the controversial investigation of flood control projects in the Philippines.
The Department of Public Works and Highways earned massive criticisms from the public after several substandard and “ghost” flood control projects in the different areas in the country were revealed. Previously, during his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Bongbong Marcos admitted finding failed flood control structures that resulted to flooding.
A few weeks after his 4th SONA, Pres. Bongbong Marcos held a press conference that centered on the flood control projects in the Philippines. According to Marcos Jr., the country’s expenses on flood control projects have reached over P500 billion already.
The President himself tagged the amount as “enormous”. According to him, the said huge amount was used to fund the government flood control deals from July 2022 to May 2025.
Aside from exposing the total amount utilized for the flood control projects in the country, Pres. Bongbong Marcos also revealed that 20% of the P545-billion flood control deals of the government were awarded to the following 15 contractors:
- Legacy Construction Corporation
- Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp.
- St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- QM Builders
- EGB Construction Corporation
- Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Sunwest, Inc.
- Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Triple 8 Construction & Supply, Inc.
- Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Wawao Builders
- MG Samidan Construction
- L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Road Edge Trading & Development Services
Marcos Jr. also claimed that five (5) of the aforementioned contractors have government-funded projects in almost all regions across the nation. They are the Legacy Construction Corporation, the Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp., the St. Timothy Construction Corporation, the EGB Construction Corporation, and the Road Edge Trading & Development Services.
Amid the issue, Malacañang maintained that DPWH chief Manuel Bonoan still has the trust and confidence of Pres. Bongbong Marcos. The statement of the Palace came amid the calls for the DPWH Secretary to resign or take a leave while the investigation is ongoing.
The Senate launched its own investigation on the anomalous government flood control deals. However, several contractors skipped the first Senate flood probe. Thus, Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero who was also grilled after he admitted receiving a P30-million campaign donation from a contractor flagged by Marcos Jr. signed the subpoena for the following to attend the next probe on September 1:
- Mr. Luisito R. Tiqui, President of L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Ms. Cezarah C. Discaya, President of Alpha and Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corporation
- Mr. Lawrence R. Lubiano, President of Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Mr. Edgar S. Acosta, President of Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Ms. Marjorie O. Samidan, authorized managing officer of MG Samidan Construction
- Mr. Romeo C. Miranda, President of Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Ms. Ma. Roma Angeline D. Rimando. President of St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- Ms. Aderma Angelie D. Alcazar, President/CEO of Sunwest, Inc.
- Mr. Eumir S. Villanueva, President of Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Mr. Mark Allan V. Arevalo, General Manager of Wawao Builders
Recently, based on a report on Inquirer, there will be no foreign trips for DPWH employees for now unless for urgent medical reasons. It was after Public Works Chief Manuel Bonoan ordered the temporary suspension of travel authority applications for ‘personal travels’ abroad by the employees of the agency.
“Approval of all applications for Authority to Travel abroad for personal reasons [is] hereby temporarily suspended except for personal travel for urgent medical reasons, effective immediately until the end of November 2025 or unless circumstances warrant earlier lifting of the suspension or further extension,” Bonoan stated in the memorandum released.
Based on the report, the memorandum issued by the DPWH Secretary prohibiting the grant of a travel authority for employees who plan a ‘personal travel’ abroad is in line with the agency’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and integrity.
Amid the controversy, the Commission on Elections or Comelec also previously confirmed that it investigates three (3) senators over alleged campaign donations from flood control project contractors.