Former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson challenged Tuesday evening the youth and religious groups to accompany the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) in its investigation of Ilocos Norte’s billions worth of ghost and substandard projects.

In his appeal to the Filipino people, Singson said, “I urge the public to call out the engineers and contractors in Ilocos Norte to stop protecting the mastermind.”

“I speak to you today as a Filipino who has dedicated my life to public service and loves this country too much to stay silent. I once believed our nation was finally rising—only to see corruption pull it back down again. Our people are struggling. Prices are high, there is flooding everywhere, and billions are being lost to corruption,” lamented Singson.

A former close friend and political ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singson said the “flood control scandal is the biggest corruption scheme I have witnessed in my entire life. Having seen eight presidents lead this nation, this is an obvious, well-orchestrated scheme created by this administration to exploit the country’s national budget for personal gain.”

Singson lamented that “floods have only worsened during the Marcos Jr. administration. Why? Because there was never a real master plan for flood control—only scattered projects approved left and right, without coordination, flood mapping studies, or transparency. Worse, our farmers’ crops keep getting destroyed because dikes meant to protect rivers have failed.”

“Families’ homes continue to be washed away by flash floods, and our children, the poor, and the entire nation are paying the price,” he added.

He questioned the Marcos administration for investing half a trillion pesos in flood control alone. “More than 9,800 flood control projects have been built—but why do the floods keep getting worse?” asked Singson.

A longtime governor, congressman, mayor, and councilor, Singson said, “Public funds are not released easily. There is a process—and at the very top of that process sits one man: the President of the Republic of the Philippines.”

“Every year, before Congress sees any line item, the President reviews and approves the National Expenditure Program—the NEP. That is the master plan of where our money will go. Without his signature and approval, it cannot move forward.”

He explained that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) then prepares and releases the funds with the President’s approval, while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which also takes orders from the President, implements the projects.

“And when Congress debates the budget and sends it back to Malacañang, who signs it into law? The President himself. He approved the General Appropriations Act (GAA) with full knowledge of its contents. So when Congress and the Senate inserted P450 billion in public works funds and Marcos Jr. vetoed only P29 billion—it means he personally reviewed the remaining P421 billion of infrastructure,” stressed the veteran political leader.

“It also means he conferred with his first cousin, Speaker of the House of Representatives Martin Romualdez.”

Singson added that the President also chairs the Cabinet clusters on disaster preparedness and infrastructure, which means he should be leading the creation of a genuine, science-based national flood control plan. He is responsible for the long-term plans for his own Build Better More program—but instead, it has turned into “Build More, Waste More.”

“Every major flood project, every rehabilitation program, every large-scale public work—all of it passes through his desk. He reviews every plan and approves every peso. So tell me, how can anyone say, ‘I don’t know’? How can he say, ‘You should be ashamed of yourselves’? Perhaps it is you who should be ashamed of yourself, Mr. President. Filipinos’ hard-earned pesos have disappeared into flood control projects like ghosts. Who carries the ultimate responsibility? It is not the officials, not the engineers, not the contractors—it is the President who holds the power and the trust of the nation,” he said.

“Corruption has been allowed to flood every agency of his government. It is a failure of leadership at the very top! What our President is doing is shifting the blame to others to save himself. That, ladies and gentlemen, is called a weak leader,” Singson added.

Singson expressed apprehension about why the ICI is not investigating Ilocos Norte. “Did you know that the majority of the flood control projects in Ilocos Norte are contracted to either the Discayas or to the newly elected Laoag mayor—handpicked by the President himself? Almost P4 billion has been funneled to this mayor, who is their favorite contractor since the Bongbong administration. Why is this not being flagged?”

He said the controversial Discayas themselves have P2.7 billion worth of flood control projects that were paid in advance, with some remaining uncompleted in Ilocos Norte.

“Why are the investigations skipping Ilocos Norte—the clearest example of how corruption hides under political protection? If he is doing this in his own province, then there is no doubt he is doing this to the rest of the country.”

“I challenge you, Mr. President, to order your so-called independent body, the ICI, to begin its probe in your own province of Ilocos Norte. Prove credibility first before diverting blame to others. I challenge the youth and religious groups to accompany the ICI in its investigation of Ilocos Norte. I urge the public to call out the engineers and contractors in Ilocos Norte to stop protecting the mastermind,” Singson concluded.