After tropical storms Crising, Dante, and Emong wreaked havoc across the country in the past week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pointed fingers at failed flood control projects and possible corruption behind them.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos vowed to investigate flood control projects that failed to serve their intended purpose.

“Kitang-kita ko na maraming proyekto para sa flood control ay palpak at gumuho, at yung iba guni-guni lang (I can clearly see that many flood control projects are sloppy and crumbling, and others are just imaginations),” he said.

“Wag na po tayong magkunwari. Alam naman ng buong madla na nagkakaraket sa mga proyekto (Let's stop pretending. The entire public knows that there are rackets going on in the projects),” he added.

Marcos directed the Department of Public Works and Highways to submit a complete list of flood control projects implemented since 2022 for his review.

He emphasized that kickbacks, initiatives, errata, “SOP,” and “for the boys” still exist in government projects, alleging inside jobs designed to deceive the public and steal from the nation’s coffers.

“Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabahayan nating naanod o nalubog sa baha. Mahiya naman kayo lalo sa mga anak natin na magmamana sa mga utang na ginawa ninyo, na binulsa niyo lang ang pera (You should be ashamed to our countrymen whose houses were swept away or submerged in the flood. You should be ashamed especially of our children who will inherit the debts you incurred, that you just pocketed the money),” Marcos said.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, 1,409 areas went underwater, affecting 1,834,663 people across 17 regions.

Marcos also ordered regional project monitoring committees to examine the DPWH’s list and identify failed, unfinished, or alleged “ghost” projects.

To ensure accountability, the President vowed to make the list public.

“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 (We will make this list public. So public witnesses to these projects are free to review the list and share what they know to help our investigation),” he said.

He added that an audit and performance review would be conducted to ensure proper use of public funds.

“Sa mga susunod na buwan, makakasuhan ang lahat ng mga lalabas na may sala mula sa imbestigasyon pati na ang mga kasabwat na mga kontratista sa bansa (In the coming months, all those found guilty from the investigation, including the complicit contractors in the country, will be charged),” Marcos guaranteed.

“Kailangan malaman ng taumbayan ang buong katotohanan. Kailangang may maging managot sa naging pinsala at katiwalian (The people need to know the whole truth. Someone must be held accountable for the damage and corruption that has occurred),” he added.\

Sweeping the budget

To futher avoid insertions of public work projects in the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for the next year, Marcos said he will return proposals bearing projects that are not fully aligned in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

Marcos said he is “willing” to have a re-enacted budget in order to do this.

“Hindi ko aaprubahan ang kahit anong budget na hindi alinsunod sa plano ng gobyerno para sa sambayanang Pilipino (I will not approve any budget that is not in line with the government's plan for the Filipino people),” he said.