Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday highlighted a series of failed flood-control projects and the contractors behind them during his privilege speech, questioning government oversight and the responsible use of public funds.

Pampanga
Lacson began with the riverbank mitigation project in Candating, Arayat, Pampanga, originally funded in 2018 at P20 million. Repeated repairs have cost taxpayers over P274 million, with 2023 and 2024 repairs ballooning to P91 million and P183 million, respectively. The same contractor, Eddmari Construction, continues to win contracts despite controversies, including being delisted by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Recent storms and monsoons caused further damage, highlighting ongoing structural problems. Lacson exclaimed, “ARAYat ko po!”

La Union
In La Union, the Bauang River Basin raised red flags. While the 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP) allocated minimal funds to Bauang, Lacson said, “Abracadabra!” He added, “In the 2024 GAA, ten items suddenly appeared for Naguilan, divided from Package 1 to Package 10, each worth P98 million. In total, these ten packages amounted to P967 million, nearly one billion pesos, compared to only two packages of P50 million each in the 2024 NEP.”

Bauang saw a similar pattern: from zero budget in the NEP, seven projects suddenly appeared, each worth P89 million, totaling P623 million. Almost all contracts went to a single contractor, Silverwolves Construction Corporation.

Oriental Mindoro
“This is what I earlier referred to as ‘pork barrel’ insertions,” Lacson said, citing Baco and Naujan under the Aksyon Gobyerno at Inisyatibo sa Larangang Lehislatura (AGILA) congressional insertions.

In Barangay Burbuli, Baco, Silverwolves Construction was awarded P95 million for an ongoing project. Meanwhile, Barangay San Jose, Naujan, received a P231 million project awarded to Rayman Builders. Both projects were funded from unprogrammed funds, bypassing standard budget processes.

“Where there are multi-million projects, dumadapo ang AGILA, pero lubog pa rin sa baha ang nadadapuan ng AGILA” (The eagle lands, but the areas where it landed are still submerged in floods), he said.

Naujan received 55% of Oriental Mindoro's flood-control allocation, equivalent to P10 billion, the highest among its 14 municipalities. Lacson added, “Fair enough, given the coastal topography of the municipality, which includes its lowland plains and extensive river systems such as Mag-Asawang Tubig. Its people badly need flood-control interventions.”

Data from ten barangays revealed widespread structural failures in Mulawin, Tagumpay, Inarawan, Pinagsabangan Dos, Melgar, Arangin, and Apitong, with substandard materials and improper embankment construction. Contractors involved included Sunwest and Elite General.

Bulacan
In Malolos and Hagonoy, Bulacan, investigators uncovered multiple “ghost” flood-control projects funded under the 2024 budget, each worth P77 million and awarded to Darcy and Anna Builders and Wawao Builders.

“I really cannot see, my dear colleagues, because the flood-control structure or riverbank protection is only ‘guni-guni’ (an illusion),” Lacson said.

He concluded with a warning: “In a year, let’s hope we won’t hear ourselves being told – ‘mga walang hiya kayo’ (You shameless people!).”