Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over alleged irregularities in flood control projects, branding the administration’s probe as nothing more than political theater.
“Kasi ginagawa niyang press release yan ngayon, PR stunt niya ngayon eh,” Duterte said, accusing Marcos of turning the issue into a publicity exercise.
The younger Duterte stressed that after three years in office, Marcos cannot escape accountability, adding that any anomalies in flood control projects ultimately reflect on the president.
“Kung serious talaga siya… then why not file a case? Kung talagang gusto mo ipakita sa tao, okay, you want to redeem yourself, kulong ka dyan,” he added.
Marcos reveals audit findings
Earlier this month, Marcos presented the results of an audit on flood control spending. He noted troubling patterns such as missing project descriptions, contracts with identical costs across different sites, and contractors appearing in multiple provinces.
“Imposible ‘yan,” Marcos remarked, citing mismatches between the provinces receiving the most projects and those officially identified as flood-prone.
According to government data, the top recipients of flood control projects included Bulacan (668), Cebu (414), Isabela (341), Pangasinan (313), and Pampanga (292). By contrast, the National Adaptation Plan (2023–2050) identified Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, and Ilocos Norte as the most flood-prone areas.
“I’m sure there are explanations for that. Pero parang hindi tumutugma,” Marcos said, emphasizing the need for deeper study.
Concerns on top contractors
The president also flagged the concentration of contracts among a small group of firms. He said 15 contractors cornered about 20 percent of the entire flood control budget, with five companies holding projects across nearly all regions.
“This is another disturbing assessment,” Marcos said. “Ang justification sa pagpili ng kontratista ay para sasabihin, pagbigyan naman natin yung lokal.”
Marcos clarified that no contractors are being formally accused at this stage but urged the public to share their insights as the government continues its review.
