Camille Naredo

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

Residents try to move to safer ground as floodwaters rise in Barangay Navotas East, Navotas City, on July 24, 2025.

PAGASA advised the public to remain vigilant as Typhoon Emong and Tropical Storm Dante are expected to enhance the southwest monsoon, which may trigger moderate to intense rains within the next 24 hours.

Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HABAGAT FLOODING- NAVOTAS

RG Cruz

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/175568651785920250724-navotas-flooding-JC0881.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="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 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. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday traced the tale of graft and corruption that allegedly mars the country&#x27;s flood control projects.</p><p>In a privilege speech, Lacson showed a trail that allegedly involved insiders in the Department of Public Works and Highways, contractors and at least one lawmaker in the House of Representatives.</p><p>&quot;Last week, the President took aim; today, I am pulling the trigger,&quot; said Lacson.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/19/dpwh-chief-admits-existence-of-ghost-flood-control-projects-vows-probe-1233">READ: DPWH chief admits existence of &#x27;ghost&#x27; flood control projects, vows probe</a></div><p>Lacson said contractors work in cahoots with government officials and insiders of the DPWH to divide up the funds for projects and build projects using substandard materials.</p><p>&quot;Pangatlo, ang mga proyektong lantarang inaangkin bilang &#x27;congressional insertion&#x27;; Pang-apat, ang patuloy na pagbaha sa iba&#x27;t-ibang lugar na narating namin kahit taon-taon ay paulit ulit na binubuhusan ng bilyon-bilyong pondo,&quot; Lacson added.</p><p>(Third, there are projects that are openly labeled as congressional insertions. Fourth, areas are still flooded even if billions are poured into the projects)</p><p>He said the last part of the scam are the ghost or non-existent projects that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mentioned in his State of the Nation Address last month.</p><p>&quot;At ang pinakahuli, ang mga tinatawag ng Pangulo na &#x27;guni-guni&#x27; o multo/ghost projects na aming nahukay.&quot;</p><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/duKi_bK4k-E?&amp;pp=0gcJCa0JAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Lacson recalled that in the last 15 years, almost P2 trillion has been appropriated for flood control, with more than P3 trillion allocated for them in the budgets for 2023, 2025 and 2025.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/8/19/flood-control-project-ruined-people-s-livelihood-mindoro-farmers-say-0045">READ: Flood control project ruined people&#x27;s livelihood, Mindoro farmers say</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>HOW FUNDING IS ALLEGEDLY DIVIDED UP</strong></div><p>Lacson explained how the corruption&#x27;s beneficiaries split their spoils, outside of legitimate expenses, with both DPWH insiders and outsiders benefiting.</p><p>He said that given a P100-million project, around 18 percent would go to taxes, bonds and insurance and for contractors&#x27; profit of 8 percent to 10 percent.</p><p>Of the P82 million left, he said around 8 percent to 10 percent would go to DPWH officials, with district engineers allegedly getting a minimum of 6 percent. Around 2 percent to 3 percent beyond the contractor&#x27;s profit would go to the District Engineering Office, he also said.</p><p>&quot;Ang tawag dito, reseta. Reseta dahil ang presyo na itinakda ng DEO ay nakasulat at napagdesisyunan na. Parang gamot, Mr. President. Lukunukin na lang ng contractor,&quot; Lacson added.</p><p>(They call that the &#x27;prescription&#x27; because everything has already been computed and divided up, the contractor only has to swallow it)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>EXAMPLES OF FAILED PROJECTS</strong></div><p>Lacson presented several examples that he said showed the extent of the modus, including one DPWH office in Bulacan where several projects had the same amount.</p><p>There are also substandard projects in Pampanga, La Union and Oriental Mindoro. </p><p>In Arayat in Pampanga, he said, the construction cost of one project ballooned several fold after being funded repeatedly across many years.</p><p>&quot;In 2018, we already spent P20 million on a project for the  &#x27;Construction/rehabilitation of Slope Protection along Pampanga River, Candating Section Arayat, Pampanga&#x27;,&quot; he said, adding the project later crumbled and had to repaired in 2023 and in 2024.</p><p>&quot;This time, not once, but twice: P91.8 million for Phase I and P91.4 million for Phase II,&quot; he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/8/19/coa-gets-critical-docs-on-bulacan-flood-control-projects-amid-fraud-audit-1633">READ: COA gets ‘critical’ docs on Bulacan flood control projects amid fraud audit</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;CONGRESSIONAL INSERTIONS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Lacson noted in his slide presentation that Oriental Mindoro 1st District Rep. Arnan Panaligan claimed congressional insertions for different projects.</p><p>Lacson pointed out that Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, which is in the 1st District, received 55 percent of the province&#x27;s 2025 flood control budget but that flooding persisted because, he said, of the use of substandard materials.</p><p>Lacson said he is willing to submit evidence and even willing witnesses to investigators.</p><p>&quot;When a few good officials or remorseful men are willing to speak truth to power, they must be heard. They must be seen. They must be protected. The depth of corruption has become so overwhelming that it drowns us in our sad state: More than flood control, what the Filipino people badly need to see is greed control.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></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/XLkLNLvmG4s?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday traced the tale of graft and corruption that allegedly mars the country's flood control projects.</p>

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday traced the tale of graft and corruption that allegedly mars the country's flood control projects.

Lacson details corruption in flood control projects

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Lacson details corruption in flood control projects

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 20, 2025 07:24 PM PHT

Read More:

flood control

Ping Lacson

corruption

Department of Public Works and Highways

DPWH

House of Representatives

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