PBBM flags flood control projects, Bicol included

By Manuel T. Ugalde

LEGAZPI CITY – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed frustration over alleged irregularities in flood control projects across the country, saying that billions of pesos have been allocated yet flooding remains a recurring problem.

In a personal inspection in Bulacan, the President noted that several projects were either substandard or incomplete. He said the government would intensify its review of flood control initiatives nationwide.

Reports indicated that the Bicol region is among the areas to be scrutinized. Bicol has received around ₱49 billion for flood control projects since 2023, yet provinces such as Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon still suffered severe flooding during Typhoon Kristine last year, which disrupted the Manila-Bicol-Visayas transport route for four days.

Three Bicol-based firms – Centerways Construction Development Inc., Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., and Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corp. – were identified as major contractors for flood control projects. Records show Centerways ranked 7th in the President’s list of top construction companies, while Sunwest and Hi-Tone ranked 8th and 9th, respectively.

Centerways Construction is owned by Lawrenz Lubiano of Sorsogon. Sunwest and Hi-Tone are based in Legazpi City and have been associated with the Co family, although congressional records indicate that lawmakers Zaldy and Christopher Co have since divested their interests in the companies.

DPWH Bicol regional director Vergilio Eduarte, however, clarified that the region has no record of ghost projects. He stressed that while irregularities were found in some areas of Luzon, Bicol’s projects have undergone standard monitoring and evaluation.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has said that flood control allocations nationwide have exceeded half a trillion pesos since 2022. President Marcos questioned why, despite this level of funding, Metro Manila and other regions remain vulnerable to massive flooding.

Meanwhile, civil society groups in Bicol have urged the government to widen its investigation beyond flood control, citing concerns about the quality of road networks in the region.