Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is investigating alleged anomalies in the city’s flood control projects, saying the issue has strained relationships with city lawmakers.

Belmonte, feeling that she has been unfairly blamed for the city’s heavy flooding, said she feels betrayed by the congressmen.

“I am upset because people are saying I abandoned my congressmen,” Belmonte said in a statement. “The fact that they allowed this kind of botched project to happen in our city, then I was blamed by the people when they were flooded, for me, it’s they who abandoned me. That’s how I feel.”

She added that she had asked for help from the lawmakers, but they never mentioned the availability of funds that could have been used to address the city’s flooding problems.

“Why would you do that? We have a proper plan. Why not work together, especially since we are allies?” Belmonte said.

The mayor’s investigation comes after she revealed that eight construction firms, owned by contractors Curlee and Sarah Discaya, were awarded 27 flood control projects in the city worth P1.52 billion.

The revelation aligns with an affidavit the Discayas submitted to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. In the affidavit, they implicated four Quezon City lawmakers — Representative Marvin Rillo, Representative Juan Carlos Atayde, Representative Patrick Michael Vargas and Representative Marivic Co Pilar.

All four representatives have denied the allegations, calling the testimonies unfounded.

Belmonte said the city has a Drainage Master Plan (DMP), a study commissioned from the University of the Philippines. She lamented that the congressmen’s discretionary funds were not used to support the plan.

“There’s no rhyme or reason to the master plan,” Belmonte said. “It’s like Bonifacio Global City which has a water basin. When the rain stops, that’s when they release the water.”

Belmonte also disclosed a text message from Rillo, who told her that the project “was not a lobby insertion. It was just put in.”

“I don’t even know who puts in the insertion,” Belmonte said. “You’re a congressman. Would you put yourself in a tight spot? You’re higher than the district engineer.”

Atayde, for his part, had previously announced two proposed projects for his district: a detention basin under G. Araneta Avenue and the Talayan Flood Interceptor Project.

The proposed detention basin, with an estimated cost ranging from P4 billion to P24 billion, would be 2.2 kilometers long and hold up to 282,000 cubic meters of water.

The Talayan Flood Interceptor Project, estimated to cost between P1.2 billion and P2 billion, would involve upgrading drainage pipes to increase their capacity to 12,000 cubic meters.

Atayde said the funds for the projects “are an investment in improving the lives of long-suffering QC residents who must be worried every time the rains pour.”

“My constituents, and the residents of Quezon City, are a resilient people,” Atayde said. “But it’s not right to expect them to suffer every year when we can address this problem.”

Atayde pointed out that Quezon City already has a comprehensive flood mitigation study and actionable plans to address flooding. However, his name was later implicated in the investigation after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. disclosed his findings on anomalous flood control projects.