Ridon: Baliuag ‘ghost’ flood project a Palace initiative

The P55-million reinforced concrete wall project in Baliuag, Bulacan that was found to be a “ghost” or non-existent project, was not a congressional initiative but a proposal by the executive branch under the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted to Congress.

House Infrastructure Committee co-Chair Rep. Terry Ridon confirmed this on Tuesday ahead of the panel’s probe into the alleged anomalies in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ P545.64-billion flood control projects involving members of Congress.

Citing public records, Ridon said the 220-meter river wall project constructed by Syms Construction Trading was outlined in the 2025 NEP and was included as a line item in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

The executive branch or the President prepares the NEP, which the Department of Budget and Management submits to Congress for approval. The NEP serves as the basis for the House to craft the General Appropriations Bill which, when enacted, becomes the government spending law, also known as the General Appropriations Act.

“The Bulacan ghost project was a NEP-originated project, not a congressional initiative-originated project,” Ridon said.

Based on the records provided by the lawmaker, the river wall project was allocated P60 million under the DPWH in the 2025 NEP. It was the same figure reflected in the 2025 GAA.

Ridon said these records alone confirm that the “ghost” and botched projects flagged by President Marcos should not be attributed to Congress as insertions made in the 2025 GAA.

“They always mentioned that congressmen have cuts, yet many of the places that the President visited did not have congressional insertions,” Ridon said in an interview in Filipino. “These are NEP-originated projects. Meaning this was an executive proposal. So it’s difficult to say that congressmen or senators interfered here.”

Apart from the “ghost” river wall in Baliuag, Ridon said other faulty projects proposed by the executive branch in the 2025 NEP included the deteriorating P380-million dike in San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro; the P260-million rock shed in Tuba, Benguet; and the botched P96.4-million flood control project by St. Timothy Construction in Calumpit, Bulacan — all of which were inspected by Marcos himself.

“So let’s clear it. The St. Timothy project in Bulacan, the Syms Construction ghost project, the rock shed project in Benguet — these we NEP-originated projects,” Ridon averred.

Angry President

Marcos went ballistic after personally inspecting the river wall in Baliuag last week, only to discover it was nonexistent. There was no indication the project was ever started, despite being declared “completed” in DPWH’s records. The river wall was supposed to be constructed back in February.

Malacañang said it will press charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents against construction firm Syms.

In his State of the Nation Address last July, Marcos warned he would not approve a proposed budget that deviates from the NEP, regardless of whether it would result in a reenacted budget.

The stern warning came on the heels of allegations of congressional budget insertions in this year’s national budget.

The 2025 GAA, initially set at P6.352 trillion, was trimmed to P6.326 trillion after Marcos vetoed P194 billion worth of line items deemed inconsistent with the administration’s priority programs, including P16.7 billion for flood control projects.

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 kickbacks of 30 to 40 percent from flood control and infrastructure projects.

The government had allocated P545.64 billion for flood control projects since Marcos assumed office in July 2022, up to May this year. Despite the hefty funds, Metro Manila and nearby provinces still get flooded, fueling speculations of substandard work and corruption.

Earlier this month, the Chief Executive revealed that 20 percent of the P545.64 billion went to only 15 firms that bagged P100 billion worth of supposed projects.