Statement of Malacañang on Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s Remarks over Flood Control Projects Issue in PH
Malacañang reacted to Vice President Sara Duterte refusing to give an advice for the flood control projects issue in the Philippines.
The Philippine authorities recently discovered several flood control projects in the country that were either built with “substandard” materials or, worst, not existing but fully-paid. Several areas across the nation suffers from frequent flooding most especially that the country is usually hit by tropical storms from June to December.
President Bongbong Marcos was left “not disappointed, but angry” over the P55-million ‘ghost’ Riverwall project in Bulacan. Based on the receipts, the said project was fully-paid by the government already but the construction of the structure has not started when Marcos Jr. came to check on it.
In the same province, Marcos Jr. found a flood control project that was made with “substandard” materials and was not completed. He called out its contractor to explain. The President stressed that the structure could not serve its purpose because of the substandard making of the project.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as well as the government flood control contractors were severely bashed by the netizens online. Amid the issue, Malacañang stressed that Marcos Jr.’s trust and confidence to DPWH Chief Manuel Bonoan remains. Based on reports, the province of Bulacan has the most flood control projects. Here are 20 provinces in the Philippines with the most flood control projects:
- Bulacan – 668
- Cebu – 414
- Isabela – 337
- Pangasinan – 313
- Pampanga – 293
- Albay – 273
- Leyte – 262
- Tarlac – 258
- Camarines Sur – 250
- Ilocos Norte – 224
- Negros Occidental -208
- Cavite – 192
- Batangas – 189
- Misamis Oriental – 181
- Davao Del Sur – 180
- Iloilo – 168
- Rizal – 167
- Cagayan – 167
- La Union – 166
- Nueva Ecija – 163
Previously, Pres. Bongbong Marcos revealed that the Philippines has already spent P545-billion for flood control projects since July 2022 to May 2025. According to the President, the following contractors were awarded with 20% of the said total government flood control deals:
- 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
While in The Hague, Netherlands, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was asked about the flood control projects issue which is one of the most pressing issues in the Philippines now. The Vice President and her siblings recently visited their father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, inside the detention center of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
However, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte refused to give a free advice in solving the flood control projects issue in PH. According to her, she will just watch the “circus”. Malacañang immediately reacted to the remarks of the Vice President.
Based on a report on GMA News, Malacañang press officer undersecretary Claire Castro told Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to just give her free flood solutions if she got something from her travels abroad to her brother, acting Davao Mayor Baste Duterte.
“Ayaw nyang magbigay ng free advice para sa bansa?! Kung may natutunan na siyang solusyon sa pagsugpo sa problema sa pagbaha sa bansa sa dami ng kanyang byahe, ibigay na nya ang free advice niya kay Acting Mayor Baste ng Davao City,” the Malacañang press officer said.
Based on the report, Atty. Claire Castro said the government will just wait if the free flood solutions of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will be effective. According to the Malacañang press official, they will just watch if Davao City will no longer experience flooding.
“Abangan na lang natin kung epektibo at kung ‘di na babaha sa kanilang lungsod,” Castro said.
Amid the issue, acting Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte claimed that the flood control projects issue in the Philippines is allegedly used as a “publicity stunt”.