DPWH Chief Manuel Bonoan Speaks on Organization amid Flood Control Project Issues
MANUEL BONOAN – The Public Works and Highways Secretary hinted at cleaning up the DPWH if necessary amid the flood project issues.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos was left disappointed multiple times recently by the different “ghost” flood control projects in the country. This situation came after the Chief Executive admitted in his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) the failure of many flood control structures that were supposedly set to prevent the flooding in many areas across the nation.
In a press conference weeks after his 4th SONA, Pres. Bongbong Marcos revealed that the government has spent P545 billion for the flood control projects in the country from July 2022 to May 2025. In his personal view, it is an “enormous” spending.
Aside from revealing the expenses of the government for the flood control deals, Marcos Jr. also flagged the 15 contractors which were awarded with 20% of the P545-billion flood control projects of the government. Countless people slammed the DPWH amid the issues. Here are the firms cited by the President:
- Legacy Construction Corporation
- Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp.
- St. Timothy Construction Corporation
- QM Builders
- EGB Construction Corporation
- Topnotch Catalyst Builders Inc.
- Centerways Construction and Development Inc.
- Sunwest, Inc.
- Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp.
- Triple 8 Construction & Supply, Inc.
- Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp.
- Wawao Builders
- MG Samidan Construction
- L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc.
- Road Edge Trading & Development Services
The President also said his administration will investigate the Legacy Construction Corporation, the St. Timothy Construction Corporation, the Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp., the EGB Construction Corporation, and the Road Edge Trading & Development Services for having secured flood control deals in almost all regions in the country.
In Bulacan, Pres. Bongbong Marcos was left disappointed by a flood control project that he called on the contractor, the St. Timothy Construction, to explain what happened to the project. According to the Chief Executive, the project was not completed and, after hiring divers to really check on the project, they found that substandard materials were used.
Amid the issues over the alleged anomalies in the flood control projects in the different regions, Malacañang previously affirmed that Pres. Bongbong Marcos’ trust and confidence on DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan remains. The issues have sparked several calls for Bonoan to leave his post.
Recently, based on a report on GMA News, DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan assured that they are checking on who are possibly involved in the construction of substandard flood control projects as well as who are behind the “ghost” deals with the government. According to him, cases may be filed and it must be a lesson to everyone that the government will not allow such acts.
“Titingnan namin kung sino ‘yung mga kasangkot dito sa paggawa ng mga inferior at saka ghost projects. I think we’ll have to file all the necessary cases, sanctions din and let it be a lesson to everybody that we will not allow this kind of thing to happen,” the DPWH Chief said.
Based on the report, DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan admitted thinking about the possibility of cleansing up the department if there’s a need. According to him, currently, they are auditing the flood projects of the government.
“I think we have to cleanse up actually the organization kung kailangan,” DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan said.
Aside from the incomplete flood control project made of substandard materials in Bulacan, Pres. Bongbong Marcos was also left “angry” by the P55-million “ghost” riverwall in Baliuag.