Isabela among top 10 provinces with most number of flood control projects - Pres. Marcos Jr

Isabela, Philippines – The Province of Isabela is one of the 10 provinces in the country with the most number of flood control projects, according to the data cited by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a press conference this Monday.

Issues of flood control projects not being able to hold up to their purpose have inundated the social media following experiences of massive flooding in many parts of the country during the rainy season and weather disturbances like Habagat and typhoons.

Earlier in July, Mayor Benjamin Magalong of Baguio City boldly disclosed to the media that many congressmen are involved in alleged corruption practices through flood control projects, with a 35 per cent to 40 per cent kickback.

On Sunday, Senator Panfilo Lacson likewise underscored what he called a ‘pass-through’ fee scheme of corruption, where each stage of the project gets a deduction that will go to certain people. He also revealed that some congressmen started calling him when he said he has list of 67 congressmen who are contractors.

On Monday, August 11, President Marcos informed the public of the key findings in the ongoing investigation into the government’s multibillion-peso flood control program.

Marcos said the 10 provinces with the most number of flood control projects include Bulacan with 668; Cebu, 414; Isabela, 341; Pangasinan, 313; Pampanga, 292; Albay, 273; Leyte, 262; Tarlac, 258; Camarines Sur, 252; and Ilocos Norte with 224. The president likewise noted that flood-prone areas, include Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, and Ilocos Norte.

With the data, Marcos pointed to the elephant in the room, saying, “Now, I'm sure there are explanations for that. We will have to study it further. But you would intuitively say that projects that the areas, rather, the provinces or regions, whatever you want to do, whatever pinaka-flood prone, yun dapat ang pinakamaraming project ‘di ba?”

Other red flags the president revealed include 20% of the P545-billion flood control projects in the country were awarded to only 15 contractors, 5 of those had contracts around the country. He added that P350 billion of the program did not specify the exact type of flood control being built, repaired, or rehabilitated.