Pampanga, Bulacan governors ‘bypassed’ on flood control projects

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The governors of Bulacan and Pampanga say they were left in the dark about billions of pesos worth of flood control projects in their provinces, drawing public scrutiny and raising questions about accountability as residents face worsening floods.

Governor Daniel Fernando of Bulacan said in an interview that 668 flood control projects, totaling P43.5 billion from 2021 to 2024, were implemented in his province without any coordination with his office.

“They did not have the courtesy to inform us,” Fernando said, referring to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). “I was surprised to learn that 668 projects were built — but they were fragmented, unfinished, and substandard.” He pointed to specific sites in Bulusan and Calumpit, where he said crumbling structures had failed to prevent flooding.

Fernando accused the DPWH of sidestepping local permits and transparency. “Even the mayors didn’t know anything,” he said. “If I hadn’t summoned them in 2023, they wouldn’t have reported anything.”

He added that the DPWH initially sought a resolution from the Provincial Development Council to unlock 2024 funds but later ignored the process. To enforce accountability, Fernando issued an executive order requiring the DPWH to submit master plans, but the agency has yet to comply.

Over at Pampanga, Governor Lilia Pineda said she only learned of the P293-billion national flood control program through media inquiries.

“I’m being asked by radio stations for an interview about flood control, but I tell them I’m not prepared,” she said. “I haven’t seen a single project.”

She cited a single P273-million project in Candating, Arayat, as the only visible initiative she has seen.

The governors’ claims were met with skepticism from residents on social media. “P293 billion? Is that just loose change? They’re only speaking up now, but the flooding has been a problem for years,” one resident wrote. Another questioned, “Is it true that you really had no knowledge, Governor? It’s hard to believe.”

The projects are now under national scrutiny, with the Senate blue ribbon committee investigating “irregularities in flood control fund allocations.”

Both governors said accountability must be prioritized.

Fernando vowed to expand local inspections pending the national probe, while Pineda pledged to block any projects that lack a master plan.