Marcos urges public report on flood control projects; bares ‘disturbing’ initial audit result
Metro Manila, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has unveiled a website listing all flood control projects undertaken since mid-2022, calling on Filipinos to monitor works in their communities and speak out against failures.
“This is something that everybody can use,” Marcos said during Monday’s launch. “Kung maganda yung naging project, kung hindi maganda yung naging project, bakit hindi maganda… ano ang naging problema.” [Translation: If the project turned out well, if it didn’t turn out well, why it didn’t… what the problem was.]
The portal www.sumnbongsapangulo.ph — now on its third version — allows users to search by barangay, view both street and satellite maps, and submit feedback directly to the government. Originally, the list contained only raw map coordinates, but Marcos said these have been translated into barangay-level locations so people can “actually go and look at it.”
“Basta barangay lang, tama na yan,” he added. [Translation: As long as you enter the barangay, that’s enough.]
“Pwede sila magsabi maganda naman. Pwede sila magsabi hindi maganda ang naging project.” [Translation: They can say it turned out well. They can say it didn’t turn out well.]
Findings raise red flags
Marcos revealed troubling results from the government’s flood control audit, citing projects with missing descriptions of the type of flood control being built, contracts with identical costs in different locations, and cases where the same contractor appeared across many provinces.
“Imposible ‘yan,” he stressed. (That’s impossible.)
He also noted mismatches between provinces that have received the most projects and those officially identified as the most flood-prone.
Provinces with the most flood control projects: Bulacan (668), Cebu (414), Isabela (341), Pangasinan (313), Pampanga (292), Albay (273), Leyte (262), Tarlac (258), Camarines Sur (252), and Ilocos Norte (224)
Top flood-prone provinces (National Adaptation Plan 2023–2050): Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, Ilocos Norte
“I’m sure there are explanations for that,” Marcos said. “Pero parang hindi tumutugma. Kaya yan, kailangan natin pag-aralan.” [Translation: But it doesn’t seem to match. That’s why we need to study it.]
Top contractors
The president also disclosed the list of the top 15 contractors, noting that 20% of the entire budget for flood control projects went to just these firms, with five of them having contracts across nearly all regions.
“This is another disturbing assessment,” Marcos said. “Sa 15 na contractor na yan, lima sa kanila ay may kontrata sa buong Pilipinas. Ang justification sa pagpili ng kontratista ay para sasabihin, pagbigyan naman natin yung lokal.”
[Translation: Among those 15 contractors, five have contracts nationwide. The justification for choosing a contractor is supposed to be to give locals a chance.]
Marcos named the top five firms that have contracts across the country.
“We are not accusing anyone of anything yet. However, it gives us an idea of how this has been conducted,” he said, urging the public to send their feedback.
The website’s launch fulfills a promise Marcos made during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) last month, where he ordered a comprehensive audit of flood control projects amid heavy monsoon rains that submerged parts of Metro Manila.
In that address, Marcos delivered one of his strongest rebukes of corruption since taking office:
“Mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino. Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kababayan nating naanod o nalubog sa baha. Mahiya naman kayo lalo sa mga anak nating magmamana sa mga utang na ginawa n’yo.”
[Translation: Be ashamed of your fellow Filipinos. Be ashamed of our countrymen who were swept away or submerged in floods. Be even more ashamed of our children who will inherit the debts you created.
