Statement of Pres. Marcos Jr. on Flood Control Issue in PH Now
MARCOS JR. – The President wants completion of flood control projects with quality materials using money of contractors and their partners.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos is greatly disappointed over the flood control mess in the Philippines. In Bulacan, he found a ‘ghost’ Riverwall project that cost the government over P55 million. Based on the receipts, the project has been paid in full and was also marked completed in records.
In the same province, the President also found a flood control structure that is incomplete and made with substandard materials. They hired divers to check on the said structure. The President called out the contractor of the said project to explain what happened.
During a podcast interview, Pres. Bongbong Marcos was “teary-eyed” saying that he is very upset as he sees the Filipino people having a hard time. Amid the flood control issue, he ordered the creation of an independent body that will investigate the infrastructure projects funded by the people’s money.
The Independent Commission on Infrastructure or the ICI is the independent body that was formed for infrastructure probe and armed with broad powers. The ICI has the power to move for the freezing and the seizure of the assets linked to irregularities as well as the issuance of a subpoena.
The ICI is composed of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson and SGV and Co. Country Managing Partner Rossana Fajardo as the members and former Supreme Court Justice Andres Reyes Jr. as its chairman. Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong is special adviser to ICI.
Recently, Marcos Jr. spoke anew over his frustration on the flood control project anomalies in the Philippines. Based on a report on Bandera, the Presidents wants the contractors to complete the flood control projects using their own money as well as those of their partners in the ill activities. He stressed that the structures should be made with quality materials.
“Magkano ang ninakaw na pera ng mga balasubas na ito? That is what we need to know, that is what we need to fix,” the President said.
According to Pres. Marcos Jr., charges will be filed against the people who will be proven to have committed corruption in the flood control deals funded by the government and they will be held accountable. Based on the report, he stressed that there will be those who will have to face imprisonment while some will lose their jobs.
“One of the things that we are looking at dahil iniisip ko, kakasuhan natin sila, then, okay the cases will go on, may mga mananagot, mayroon diyang makukulong, mayroon diyang mapa-fire, whatever,” he said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways earned massive criticisms amid the flood control mess in the Philippines. There are already officials and engineers of the agency who were fired from their posts. According to DPWH Chief Vince Dizon, their next step is to return the people’s money citing that jail time is not enough.