Ched Rick Gatchalian

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. inspected the "ghost" flood control project in Barangay Piel, Baliwag, Bulacan. Despite records showing a completed 220-meter project worth P55 million, Marcos found that no actual work had been done. PHOTOS BY YUMMIE DINGDING / PPA POOL

Article (news)

DPWH, 15 contractors behind many flood control projects invited in House probe: Bicol lawmaker

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><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/175652082841520250820-marcos-flood-control-inspection-baliuag-PPA39.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr. inspected the &quot;ghost&quot; flood control project in Barangay Piel, Baliwag, Bulacan. Despite records showing a completed 220-meter project worth P55 million, Marcos found that no actual work had been done. <em>PHOTOS BY YUMMIE DINGDING / PPA POOL </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The House of Representatives has invited the Department of Public Works and Highways and the 15 contractors mentioned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who secured 20% of nearly 10,000 flood control projects since 2022 to its hearing on Tuesday, according to Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/11/15-contractors-cornered-p100-b-worth-of-flood-control-projects-since-2022-marcos-1053"><strong>15 contractors cornered P100-B worth of flood control projects since 2022: Marcos</strong></a></div><p>In an interview on DZMM, Ridon said they also invited SYMS Construction Trading, the firm involved in an<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/8/21/p55-m-ghost-river-wall-project-in-baliwag-skipped-local-gov-t-oversight-lgu-says-1651"> alleged ghost flood project in Baliwag, Bulacan</a>.</p><p>&quot;Sa Tuesday ang pagsalang ng Kamara sa imbestigasyon sa flood control projects. Bukod sa DPWH, sinu-sino pa ang inimbitahan? &#x27;Yong mga kontratista na involved, &#x27;yong 15 contractors na invited na binanggit ng pangulo at isa pa yong SYMS Construction Trading — &#x27;yong tinuturong involved dito sa ghost projects dito sa Baliwag, Bulacan,&quot; he explained.</p><p>(On Tuesday, the House will begin its probe into the flood control projects. Aside from the DPWH, who else has been invited? The 15 contractors involved that the President has identified are invited, as well as SYMS Construction Trading, which has been linked to ghost projects in Baliwag, Bulacan.)</p><p>&quot;Pagpaliwanagin sila doon sa accreditation-for-sale in GPBB, &#x27;yong procurement board para ipaliwanag ano &#x27;yong proseso ng procurement at BIR and COA,&quot; he added.</p><p>(They will explain the accreditation-for-sale in GPBB, the procurement board can tackle the process of procurement, with BIR and COA.)</p><p>Part of the procurement process that will be investigated is bidding, which Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste earlier alleged was<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/26/leviste-contractors-congressmen-tagged-in-dpwh-corruption-may-retaliate-vs-whistleblowers-2001"> skipped in several flood control projects.</a></p><p>Leviste claimed there is an influential lawmaker who chooses and awards a contractor.</p><p>The<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/30/acting-mayor-baste-duterte-davao-city-projects-are-transparent-0829"> House tri-committee</a>, or the infrastructure committee, will handle the hearing in aid of legislation.</p><p>House Committee on Public Accounts, led by Ridon, is part of the joint probe with House Committee on Public Works and Committee on Good Government.</p><p>Several lawmakers however want an independent body to investigate the alleged corruption in flood control projects to avoid &quot;conflict of interest&quot;, following claims that there are congressmen involved in the issue.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BUDGET TRANSPARENCY PORTAL</strong></div><p>The Senate is set to activate its budget transparency portal on Monday, where the livestream and documents regarding the upcoming budget deliberation for the 2026 national budget can be accessed.</p><p>This after Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday said the Senate is looking on &quot;questionable items&quot; in the proposed 2026 budget — particularly in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) section of the spending plan.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/4/-golden-age-of-transparency-gatchalian-vows-no-insertions-in-2026-budget-1637">‘Golden age of transparency: Gatchalian vows no insertions in 2026 budget</a></div><p><strong></strong>&quot;By monday magla-live na yong Senate Budget Transparency Portal<strong>,</strong> so ia-upload na namin dito &#x27;yong mga dokumento na merong patungkol sa budget at &#x27;yong mga journals, transcripts, pati may livestream capability &#x27;tong portal na ito,&quot; he said on a separate interview on DZMM.</p><p>As budget deliberations kick off next week, Gatchalian said they will tackle issues hounding the 2025 budget and hear the presentation of the 2026 budget during the briefing with the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).</p>

<p>The House of Representatives has invited the Department of Public Works and Highways and the 15 contractors mentioned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who secured 20% of nearly 10,000 flood control projects since 2022 to its hearing on Tuesday, according to Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.</p>

The House of Representatives has invited the Department of Public Works and Highways and the 15 contractors mentioned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who secured 20% of nearly 10,000 flood control projects since 2022 to its hearing on Tuesday, according to Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.

DPWH, 15 contractors behind many flood control projects invited to House probe

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DPWH, 15 contractors behind many flood control projects invited to House probe

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 30, 2025 12:46 PM PHT

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Flood control projects

House of Representatives

House Tri-Comm

DPWH

Department of Public Works and Highways

Contractors

Senate

Budget Transparency Portal

2026 Budget

2025 Budget

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