Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Residents try to move to safer ground as floodwaters rise in Barangay Navotas East, Navotas City, on July 24, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HABAGAT FLOODING- NAVOTAS

Rowegie Abanto

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175557797376820250724-navotas-flooding-JC0881.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Residents try to move to safer ground as floodwaters rise in Barangay Navotas East, Navotas City, on July 24, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/41TKMjpudac?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>MANILA<strong> (2nd UPDATE) </strong>— The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday admitted there were &quot;ghost&quot; flood control projects and vowed to investigate them.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/8/19/local-officials-residents-unaware-of-p77-million-flood-control-structure-in-hagonoy-0941">&#x27;Where is it?&#x27; Local officials, residents unaware of P77-million flood control structure in Hagonoy, Bulacan</a></div><p>When asked by Sen. Jinggoy Estrada whether or not there were &quot;ghost&quot; flood control projects, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said, &quot;In all confidence... I think so.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/19/gatchalian-threatens-zero-budget-for-flood-mitigation-in-2026-if-projects-remain-substandard-1207">Gatchalian threatens zero budget for flood mitigation in 2026 if projects remain substandard</a></div><p>He also admitted that he had learned of the &quot;ghost&quot; projects &quot;just lately,&quot; adding that they are now &quot;intensively validating&quot; them.</p><p>Bonoan made the statement during the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/19/senate-to-kick-off-probe-into-flood-control-projects-0951">launch of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee&#x27;s investigation</a> into the anomalous flood mitigation projects.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;GHOST&#x27; PROJECTS IN BULACAN</strong></div><div> </div><p>Estrada said his office had received information that there were “ghost” flood control projects in the towns of Calumpit, Malolos and Hagonoy in Bulacan. </p><p>When asked by the senator whether this is true, Bonoan said, &quot;Yes… This is information that we have received.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/14/legislators-contractors-tagged-in-anomalous-flood-control-deals-to-be-invited-to-house-probe-1111">Legislators, contractors tagged in &#x27;anomalous&#x27; flood control deals to be invited to House probe</a></div><p>The DPWH chief also confirmed that the contractor of the &quot;ghost&quot; flood control projects in Bulacan was Wawao Builders Corporation.</p><p>Wawao Builders is among the top 15 contractors that bagged about P100 billion or 20 percent of nearly 10,000 flood control projects from July 2022 to May 2025, according to President Ferdinand Marcos&#x27; list.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/13/dpwh-probe-focuses-on-flood-control-projects-under-15-contractors-flagged-by-marcos-1046">DPWH probe focuses on flood control projects under 15 contractors flagged by Marcos</a></div><p>The construction firm, whose president is Mark Allan Villamor Arevalo, was invited to attend the Senate probe, but there was &quot;no reply as of now,&quot; said Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who leads the inquiry.</p><p>Wawao Builders won P9-billion flood control contracts nationwide, Bonoan said, noting that in Bulacan alone, the government contractor had 85 projects amounting to P5.971 billion.</p><p>Bonoan assured Estrada that they would file the necessary charges once proven that these were indeed &quot;ghost&quot; projects.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/8/18/bulacan-official-to-recommend-own-audit-of-flood-control-projects-in-province-1601">&#x27;Nagulat kami&#x27;: Bulacan vice gov says to recommend own audit of flood control projects in province</a></div><div><strong>— With reports from ABS-CBN Research and Verification Unit and RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66q8BVwZ1yo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Department of Public Works and Highways on Tuesday admitted there were "ghost" flood control projects and vowed to investigate them.</p>

The Department of Public Works and Highways on Tuesday admitted there were "ghost" flood control projects and vowed to investigate them.

DPWH chief admits existence of 'ghost' flood control projects, vows probe

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DPWH chief admits existence of 'ghost' flood control projects, vows probe

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 19, 2025 12:33 PM PHT

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Updated August 19, 2025 08:43 PM PHT

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