Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong believes the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) should investigate former Marikina City 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo, whom he claimed received P300 million in allocation for the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (MAIP) program under the Department of Health.
“I was actually surprised because I saw a document from the DOH about the MAIP funds, the Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients. Shouldn't that always be an equitable distribution? Surprisingly, P300 million was allocated to her. That's how powerful they are," Mayor Magalong said.
Magalong served briefly as an ICI consultant. Quimbo, meanwhile, served as vice chairperson and later chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations in the 19th Congress.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco earlier identified Quimbo as one of the members of the small committee where some of the insertions in the 2025 national budget allegedly took place.
Records show that Quimbo implemented four infrastructure projects in her district through companies owned by controversial contractor couple Sarah and Curlee Discaya.
The projects were awarded to Discaya-linked firms, including Great Pacific Builders and General Contractor Inc., JMLR Construction and Supply, St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corp., VPR General Contractor and Construction Supply Inc., and Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development Corp.
Great Pacific Builders handled the construction of box culverts along Rainbow Street, which cost P41,878,276.31, and Zenaida Subdivision, which cost P35,355,782.73, both in Barangay Concepcion Dos.
Quimbo also endorsed the construction of slope protection works along Balanti Creek at Katipunan Extension, amounting to P56,741,661.01, and the creek’s improvement project, which cost P46,353,618.68.
The projects, totaling P180 million, were funded in 2022 and 2023 during Quimbo’s tenure as vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Meanwhile, Alpha & Omega General Contractor and Eight J’s Construction were also tapped to develop the P400-million Marikina City Innovation Center located in Quimbo’s district.