COA obtains first batch of docs crucial in Bulacan flood control probe

The Commission on Audit (COA) has already obtained the first batch of documents crucial in its impending investigation into the flood control projects in Bulacan, the highest-funded recipient in Central Luzon, with a whopping P44 billion. 

State auditors, accompanied by a law enforcement group, personally retrieved the documents from the district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Malolos, Bulacan, on Tuesday. 

The documents were immediately transported to the COA Central Office in Quezon City for a probe. 

The move follows President Marcos Jr.’s marching order for a nationwide review of all flood control projects—especially flawed—that have been implemented for the past three years, prompted by the severe flooding crisis in the country.

The DPWH has an ongoing investigation, though COA chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba ordered a separate fraud audit investigation in Bulacan, which received the lion’s share of P98 billion flood control funds allocated in Central Luzon. 

Bulacan, one of the top 10 flood-prone provinces, has the highest number of flood control projects from July 2022 to May this year, with 668, totalling P44 billion. 

Despite the enormous funding, Bulacan has been regularly submerged with floodwaters, fuelling speculations of substandard usage as well as corruption. 

"The retrieval of these critical documents marks a pivotal step, enabling COA to proceed with its meticulous examination of project existence, quality, cost reasonableness, and procurement processes in Bulacan," the COA-FAO said.

The special audit aims to “identify and substantiate instances of fraud, waste, and mismanagement,” it added.

The Marcos administration has spent over P500 billion since the start of the President’s term in July 2022.

With 1,617 projects, Central Luzon (Region 3) topped the list with the highest number of flood control programs nationwide since 2022, followed by the National Capital Region with 1,058 projects amounting to P52.57 billion. Bicol Region (Region V) placed third with 866 projects with a total allocation of P49.61 billion.

Over the years, the government has poured trillions of pesos into flood control projects under the DPWH. In the 2025 budget, the agency received the second largest budget at P1.007 trillion, next to the education sector with P1.055 trillion. 

Still, the agency has fallen short in resolving the flood crisis in the country, citing climate change.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address in late July, Marcos rebuked the overpriced and substandard flood control projects, issuing a stern warning to the members of Congress that no one would be spared if found involved in the corruption scheme.

Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier claimed that 67 House members in the previous Congress had complete control over the project funds because either they or their relatives were the contractors for the government’s flood mitigation program.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong made a similar accusation, alleging that lawmakers were receiving 30 to 40 percent kickbacks from the flood-control and infrastructure projects.