Bulacan’s 1st District ₱9.5B flood control project under fire

Malolos City, Bulacan — The flood control projects worth P9.49 billion in the First District of Bulacan are under fire as most projects are allegedly ghost flood projects.

In the midst of it all is Congressman Danilo “Danny” Domingo, who received the said P9.49 billion out of the province’s massive P70.3-billion budget for flood control projects from 2022 to 2025.

And yet, why is the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee looking into this?

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who is also the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, has confirmed reports of “ghost” flood projects in Calumpit, Hagonoy, and Malolos.

According to Marcoleta, these towns are all within Domingo’s district.

And the contractor that has won the bid for the construction of these flood control projects is Wawao Builders. DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan confirmed that Wawao Builders won 85 projects in Bulacan worth P5.97 billion, which are mostly flagged as ghost projects by the government.

Bonoan also revealed that SYMS Construction bagged at least 16 projects totaling nearly P1 billion.

SYMS Construction's P55-million flood control project in Barangay Piel, Baliwag, Bulacan has been flagged by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a ghost project.

And yet Bulacan Congressman Domingo and 2nd District Representative Tina Pancho are mum on the matter. This deafening silence has put the Bulacan Bloc under scrutiny by legislators and the masses.

Senators are eyeing the possibility of bid rigging, collusion, and congressional insertions, which redirected funds away from the most flood-prone areas and into districts favored by these politicians.

Regardless of whether the area was politically favored, Bulacan residents still have to contend with floodwaters. The P9.49 billion did not go down the drain; it went into the pockets of corrupt officials while Bulacan residents continue to contend with floodwater.

As for the local governments of Calumpit and Baliuag, both have denied having a hand in the flood control projects of the DPWH.

Calumpit Mayor Glorime “Lem” Faustino and Baliuag City Vice Mayor Ferdinand “Ferdie” Estrella both said that they do not have any coordination with the DPWH regarding these ghost flood control projects.

Faustino said that it is already disheartening that aside from being victims of flooding, they are also victims of the anomalous flood control projects.

The official furthered that local governments have the right to know about the projects conducted by the national government.

Baliuag Vice Mayor Estrella has also expressed the same sentiment, citing that they were surprised such projects are being implemented in their area.

Bulacan remains the top province in terms of the number of flood control projects in the country with 668, followed by Cebu with 414 projects, and Isabela with 341 projects.

And yet Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando knows nothing about the controversial flood control projects, saying, "Wala kaming alam diyan."