QC first district solon denies ghost projects

Representative Juan Carlos Atayde of Quezon City's First District on Monday has denied the existence of "ghost projects" in his area, a rejection that followed his personal inspection of seven flood control and drainage projects.

"There are no ghost projects with us. There's no ghost in District One," Atayde said after visiting sites in barangays Bahay Toro, Del Monte, Project 6 and San Antonio. "There's no basis for claims that these are nonexistent. Maybe there's just a need for proper coordination so information about the projects is accurate."

Atayde's inspection supported the findings of the Department of Public Works and Highways, or DPWH. The agency’s Quezon City 1st District Engineering Office had said in a 19 September letter that "all projects are verifiable on site," specifically referencing the seven projects that had been questioned due to an alleged lack of coordinates.

The DPWH reported that out of 66 alleged ghost projects cited in media reports, only seven were in Atayde's district. All seven were confirmed to be either completed or ongoing, with proper documentation, correct coordinates and photographic evidence.

The verified projects include four flood control structures along Culiat Creek and Dario Creek in Barangay Bahay Toro, the rehabilitation of Drainage Road 3 in Project 6, the West Riverside Pumping Station in Barangay Del Monte, and a flood control structure along San Francisco River in Barangay San Antonio.

Atayde cited that five of the seven projects were finished, and two were suspended due to pending issues. He also assessed the status of two other flood control projects, one completed along Dario Creek and another suspended along Mariblo Creek.

The lawmaker assured his constituents that public funds were used correctly and dismissed the allegations of ghost projects as "baseless."

"The projects are not ghosts – they can be seen, touched, and are beneficial," Atayde said. "It looks like Halloween came early for some people."

He challenged those who accused him of personally benefiting from the projects to first verify their information. Atayde stressed that he could not benefit from the DPWH projects, as they were already part of the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and he lacked the authority to unilaterally include them in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) because he is not a member of the bicameral conference committee.

"We all want to end corruption and jail the corrupt, but we won't succeed if we punish the wrong people," he said, reiterating the DPWH's assertion that there are no ghost projects in his district. "The evidence speaks for itself, and the evidence speaks the truth."