BY ALEX ALAGON
“Mahiya naman kayo (You should be ashamed of yourself),” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told corrupt contractors and politicians tagged in failed flood control projects which affected Filipinos nationwide in three typhoon visits in July.
The president in his fourth State of the Nation Address on Monday, ordered a crackdown on all failed and ghost flood control projects and the involved personalities.
“Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabahayan nating naanod o nalubog sa mga pagbaha! Mahiya naman kayo lalo sa mga anak natin na magmamana sa mga utang na ginawa ninyo, na binulsa niyo lang ang pera,” Marcos said.
He emphasized that politicians and government officials could not deny getting a percentage from every project.
“Huwag na po tayong magkunwari. Alam naman ng buong madla na nagkaka-racket sa mga proyekto. Mga kickback, mga initiative, errata, SOP, for the boys. Kaya sa mga nakikipagsabwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino,” the president stressed.
A week before the SONA, the country was battered with flashfloods brought about by typhoons Crising, Dante and Emong and southwest monsoon rains.
Marcos said upon his inspection, the projects were either failed, damaged or non-existent.
He stressed in his SONA, he is directing the Department of Public Works and Highways to immediately submit a list of all flood control projects from every region that started or completed in the last three years.
“The Regional Project Monitoring Committee shall examine that list of projects and give a report on those that have been failures, those that were not finished, and those that are alleged to be ghost projects,” he added.
The list will be published for public scrutiny to help in the probe of the projects.
The president also called for an audit and performance review regarding these projects to ensure the money was well-spent.
“Sa mga susunod na buwan, makakasuhan ang lahat ng mga lalabas na may sala mula sa imbestigasyon. Pati na ang mga kasabwat na kontratista sa buong bansa,” he stressed.
The president vowed that in 2026 National Budget, he will return any proposed General Appropriations Bill that is not fully aligned with the National Expenditure Program, even if it means ending up with a reenacted budget.
“Hindi ko aaprubahan ang kahit anong budget na hindi alinsunod sa plano ng gobyerno para sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Marcos stressed.
Photo from the Presidential Communications Office
