Chairman Emeritus Goitia backs Marcos’ flood project inspections amid corruption concerns

DT·20 August 2025, 11:22 am·1 min read

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Chairman Emeritus Goitia backs Marcos’ flood project inspections amid corruption concerns — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. expressed intense anger over the discovery of "ghost" flood control projects in Bulacan during his inspection of a riverwall project in Barangay Piel, Baliuag. Despite records showing a completed 220-meter project worth P55 million, Marcos found that no actual work had been done. He emphasized that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported the project as finished even though there was no visible construction or evidence of labor. Marcos said that if the project had been properly implemented, it could have significantly improved the province’s irrigation system. He clarified that he was not merely disappointed but “very angry” over the deception and ongoing flooding issues.
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Chairman Emeritus Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia, leader of four patriotic and civic-oriented organizations, expressed strong support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s inspections of flood control projects amid widespread public concern over substandard work and corruption.

“In times like these, when our people are battered by floods and calamities, we cannot afford substandard work and corruption,” said Goitia.

“That is why I fully support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his strong and decisive inspection of flood control projects. He is showing the Filipino people that negligence and betrayal of public trust will not be tolerated.”

He praised the president’s recent on-site inspections, particularly in Bulacan, one of the country’s most flood-prone provinces. During visits to Barangay Bulusan and Barangay Frances in Calumpit, Bulacan, Marcos uncovered shoddy workmanship and missing infrastructure despite official claims of project completion.

“At Barangay Bulusan, the President discovered that over 200 meters of the river protection structure had never been built, even though reports claimed it was finished,” Goitia said. “He even dispatched divers to inspect below the surface, revealing thin, uneven concrete and gaps between the structure and its foundation—substandard work destined to fail.”

He quoted the President: “They must explain why this is how they built it. It would serve them well to come here and feel how hard life is for our countrymen because of their actions.”

At Barangay Frances, a ₱77.1 million flood mitigation structure was found to have poor-quality materials and incomplete dredging and desilting, despite being listed as completed, Goitia said.

Following the Bulacan inspections, the Commission on Audit ordered an immediate fraud audit of all flood control projects in the province, a move Goitia called “a crucial step toward securing accountability.”

Goitia also pointed to similar issues in Oriental Mindoro, where Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor publicly revealed damaged dikes that collapsed weeks after completion and alleged misuse of over ₱39 billion in flood control funds. The governor appealed directly to Marcos to hold contractors and officials accountable.

“The President’s approach combines inspection, swift corrective action, and anti-corruption measures with tangible aid. In Oriental Mindoro, he released ₱46.14 million to farmers and fishers affected by storms and instructed agencies to revise the Flood Control Masterplan to make it climate-resilient and data-informed,” Goitia said.

“This is what leadership looks like. President Marcos is not just building infrastructure; he is demanding quality, integrity, and fairness. He is delivering on promises, and he is cleansing systems of corrupt practices.”

He called on Filipinos to support the president’s efforts, emphasizing the human cost of corruption and negligence.

“Every botched dike is a threat to households. Every peso lost to corruption takes food from someone’s table. President Marcos has made it clear: no room for thieves or saboteurs. This is our fight too. We must unite in this crusade,” Goitia said.

He concluded, “We will expose the dishonest. We will condemn the incompetent. We support a president who dares to fight corruption head-on. Because this isn’t just politics. It’s about survival, dignity, and justice for every Filipino.”

Goitia chairs four civic organizations: Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People's Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, advancing causes of sovereignty, reform, and Filipino dignity.