THE GOVERNMENT will enforce a stricter vetting process for contractors handling flood control projects, Malacañang said on Tuesday, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., launched a new website allowing Filipinos to track and report issues related to the projects.
“We will be stricter, which is why our President issued a statement yesterday,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing in Filipino.
“We have found that some contractors were already blacklisted before but simply changed their names, and yet now seem to be thriving again.”
Since taking office in July 2022, the Marcos administration has implemented about P545 billion worth of flood control projects, but 6,021 of them — valued at roughly P350 billion — lacked clear specifications on the type of structures being built or rehabilitated, the President revealed on Monday.
Fifty of these projects, spread across various locations, had identical contract amounts, raising questions over possible uniform pricing or irregularities.
Out of 2,409 contracting firms, just 15 companies cornered around P100 billion, or 20% of the total allocation, with several operating in nearly every region of the country.
President Marcos earlier noted that these findings are not yet accusations but stressed the need for further investigation.
Ms. Castro said the investigation into irregularities in flood control projects will be led by the Department of Economy, Planning and Development through its Regional Project Monitoring Committees (RPMC).
The Department of Public Works and Highways will continue to provide the records of all the projects. The Department of Budget and Management, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Office of the President-Presidential Management Staff will also cooperate.
Meanwhile, Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero on Tuesday denied any involvement in the company of his campaign donor, which was among those identified in the President’s list.
“For the record, I have nothing to do with identifying, creating a program of work, bidding, awarding, housing, paying, or inspecting any government project, whether in Sorsogon or outside the province of Sorsogon,” Mr. Escudero told a news briefing.
“I am not a contractor. I have not been part of any business related to construction or government supply since I joined the government in 1998,” he added.
A recent report had linked the Senate chief to Lawrence R. Lubiano, the president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., who contributed about P30 million to Mr. Escudero’s 2022 campaign fund.
The company was included in Mr. Marcos’ top 15 firms who was able to receive the largest chunk of the country’s flood control projects.
He confirmed that Mr. Lubiano was a “friend” and donated to his campaign in 2022, but denied that he had helped him bag government contracts.
Mr. Escudero said that most of the projects by the firm was acquired when he was not a Senator.
“In fact, the larger portion of the funds that the contractor from Sorsogon allegedly gotten was obtained by him before I became a Senator again in 2022,” he added.
He also alleged that there is a “demolition job” against him by parties supporting the impeachment of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“There is a demolition PR (public relations) job lined up against me and as a fellow senator warned, this will be done to ensure I am removed from office and when the impeachment is filed again, I will no longer be here by Feb. 6,” he said.
The Senate chief had called the timing of the story’s release as “malicious.”
“Clearly, the article is malicious. The release was carefully timed and planned, even if it contained nothing that directly accused me of wrongdoing. The insinuation and innuendo is still there,” Mr. Escudero had pinned the PR hit job on him to members of the House of Representatives
Last week, the Senate had voted to “archive” the impeachment case of Ms. Duterte, following the Supreme Court ruling it as unconstitutional. Archiving the case means it could be reopened later with majority approval.
Mr. Escudero had also been under fire for allegedly delaying the impeachment proceeding of the Vice-President. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Adrian H. Halili
