A former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) official has exposed what he calls the deep-seated corruption behind Bulacan’s infrastructure projects, claiming that since 2019, nearly every road, bridge, classroom, and flood-control structure in the 1st District has been compromised.
Brice Hernandez, who once served as assistant district engineer, told senators that budget insertions and kickback arrangements have turned projects into cash cows for politicians and officials, leaving ordinary citizens with weak structures and wasted public funds.
“Quality was sacrificed because we had to give way to percentages allocated to beneficiaries of budget insertions,” Hernandez revealed. “For building construction, only half of the funds are actually spent on construction. The other 50 percent goes directly into pockets.”
He further detailed that flood-control projects were the worst hit, with just 30 percent of the funds going to real work and 70 percent allegedly siphoned off through corruption. This practice, Hernandez warned, explains why many flood-control systems in Bulacan remain ineffective despite massive budgets.
The testimony paints a troubling picture of systemic corruption: classrooms that crumble faster than expected, bridges that pose safety risks, and flood-control projects that fail when residents need them most.
As Bulacan continues to suffer from perennial flooding and poorly built public facilities, Hernandez’s revelations are expected to trigger deeper probes into where billions of taxpayer pesos have gone — and who truly benefited.