Discaya: Wealth not built overnight

Flood control projects contractor Sarah Discaya sought to convince senators on Monday that her family’s fortune was the result of more than two decades in construction — not a windfall earned during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first three years in office.

Discaya told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that her nine companies had secured about 400 projects since 2012, ranging from road works to major flood control structures.

“We have (projects) in Romblon, Cebu, Bohol, Bacolod and Zamboanga. We do not really choose a place,” she said.

Discaya’s firms were among the 15 flagged by Marcos in August for cornering P100 billion worth of projects — nearly one-fifth of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ P545-billion flood control budget.

One of her companies, St. Timothy Construction Corp., was cited for declaring a Bulacan river project completed despite leaving a 200-meter revetment unfinished. Another, St. Gerrard, was blacklisted in 2020 and suspended again in 2025.

The senators pounced on Discaya’s admission that all nine firms that she and her husband, Curlee, headed often submitted bids for the same project.

“So that is not a legitimate bid. Because all those nine firms bidding for a single contract are owned by one person. So whichever firm gets the bid, you still win, correct?” Senator Jinggoy Estrada said.

Senator Erwin Tulfo was more blunt: “The answer is, they are all pretending to bid for a single contract.”

Discaya initially claimed she was directly involved only in Alpha & Omega General Contractor & Development Corp., but Senator Risa Hontiveros cited records showing her ownership of nine firms. Discaya later confirmed they all participated in government bids.

She also backtracked on a viral video where she appeared to boast of earning her first billion pesos from a DPWH project, saying the clip was “spliced.”

Her wealth, she insisted, was accumulated over years. “Pwede naman po siguro kami kumita (We should be allowed to earn),” she said.

Luxury cars

The committee also questioned Discaya about her fleet of 40 luxury cars that was played up in a vlog of broadcaster Julius Babao.

She said she bought the vehicles from two local importers — AutoArt Models and Frebel Enterprises — but the vehicles included company cars used by her employees. “I (also) have for the kids that use [them] all the time,” she said.

Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto questioned her ties to Frebel, noting the firm had been charged by the Bureau of Customs with smuggling Bugattis, Mercedes-Benzes and Porsches into the country in 2022 and 2024.

Estrada pressed Discaya on her connections in the DPWH. She admitted knowing district engineers in Laguna and Bulacan but declined to name them.

Tulfo also questioned the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, asking Chair Pericles Dakay why the licenses of blacklisted firms were not revoked sooner.

“Why did you allow this to happen? From 2022 to 2025? For three years, engineer, you did nothing. You didn’t cancel their licenses. There’s one owner who owns three construction firms, and yet you didn’t do anything,” Tulfo said.

Suspended

Dakay responded, saying the PCAB began investigating after the President released the list of 15 firms and had since suspended their allowable contract ranges for flood control projects.

Tulfo referred to Discaya as the “Queen of Flood Control,” reflecting her reach over a large slice of the infrastructure budget.

Discaya denied any favoritism, saying her firms competed in open biddings. But the senators pointed out that multiple firms under one owner created an unfair advantage.

At the end of the hearing, Discaya stood by her claim that her businesses were legitimate, her fortune a result of decades of hard work, and her vehicles were legally acquired.

During the Senate hearing, former 1st district engineer Henry Alcantara admitted to gambling in casinos along with former assistant district engineer, Brice Hernandez.

“Your honor, I admit that I went to casinos,” Alcantara said, adding they went to casinos once or twice a month.

Senator JV Ejercito suggested the security footage of the casinos be examined since, according to Senator Lacson in his privilege speech, the DPWH engineers made “daily field trips” to casinos.

“I heard that you didn’t bet that much, only P30,000 to P50,000, but your subordinate was the one who bet a lot of money,” Ejercito said in Filipino.

Another contractor who appeared at the hearing was Wawao Builders owner Mark Allan Arevalo, who however refused to answer the senators’ questions, invoking his right against self-incrimination.

“Because of talk the DPWH contractors will be sued and the Senate will file cases against the resource persons, I was advised by my lawyers not to speak at this time,” Arevalo said in Filipino.