President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday ordered the creation of an independent commission to investigate alleged irregularities in flood control projects, as mounting evidence of corruption within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and questionable budget insertions deepened concerns over the misuse of public funds.

Marcos said the commission, to be formed through an executive order, will serve as the investigative arm tasked with examining reports submitted to the government’s Sumbong sa Pangulo website. The body will be composed of five to seven members, including forensic investigators, lawyers, justices and prosecutors.

“They will investigate and make recommendations as to how to proceed — whether to file cases before the Ombudsman or the Department of Justice,” the President told reporters.

The probe is expected to cover not only the flood control program but also broader corruption allegations in the DPWH. Newly appointed DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon pledged full cooperation. “We will not hide anything, we will submit everything to the independent commission,” he said.

The Commission on Audit (CoA) has also launched a high-priority performance audit of the government’s Flood Risk Management and Resiliency Program (FRMRP). CoA chairman Gamaliel Cordoba, in a memorandum dated 23 August, directed the Performance Audit Office to immediately conduct the review and submit a report upon completion. The order emphasized “immediate and strict compliance,” underscoring the urgency following widespread flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

‘More we look…’

In a separate development, Marcos hinted that questionable allocations persist in the proposed 2026 national budget, particularly under public works.

“Unfortunately, the more we look, the more we find. Even in the 2026 budget, there are still insertions. So, it really needs to be cleaned out properly,” he said. Lawmakers earlier flagged parts of the National Expenditure Program containing allocations for projects that had already been completed.

Dizon, meanwhile, stressed the importance of private sector participation in tackling the perennial flooding problem. He recalled San Miguel Corp. president Ramon S. Ang’s offer to address Metro Manila’s flood woes at no cost to the government.

“That’s what President Marcos always says, we need the private sector, we really need it,” Dizon said.

The depth of the problem has also been highlighted at the local level. In Leyte, Matag-ob Mayor Bernie Tacoy called for the inclusion of an abandoned P96-million flood control project in Sto. Rosario village in the ongoing probe.

Construction began in March but was halted two months later when the municipal council refused to pass a resolution certifying that the project was part of its development plan.

Tacoy said the project, built on a small creek that does not even flood, was “a shenanigan” his town refused to legitimize. Barangay Captain Argehn Dolino confirmed that his community did not need flood control, suggesting instead a farm-to-market road to help the rice farmers.

“I was told it was not possible because the program was for a flood control project that is location-specific,” Dolino said.