President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that private contractor companies found to be involved in anomalous flood control projects will be blacklisted and may face legal charges.
“We already have some names that are coming up. First of all, corporations that, mga contractor na talagang kitang-kita na hindi maganda ang trabaho nila (who are obviously not doing a good job). We will put them on a blacklist. Hindi na sila puwedeng magkontrata sa gobyerno. (They can no longer have contracts with the government),” Marcos stated in his “BBM Podcast Episode 3: Sa Likod ng SONA,” aired on Monday.
The President emphasized that these companies will need to explain how they utilized the funds for the projects. “‘Pag hindi sila makapag-explain nang mabuti (If they will not properly explain), we will have to take it to the next step,” he warned.
In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, Marcos directed the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Regional Project Monitoring Committee to compile a list of all flood control projects from the past three years and identify those that failed or do not exist.
During the podcast, he issued a strong warning to those responsible for the failed flood control projects, stating, “somebody has to answer for the suffering” of the Filipino people. Marcos expressed his concern over the devastation caused by substandard flood control projects, particularly in light of recent typhoons.
He described the heartbreaking scenes in evacuation centers, where families are crammed into gyms, children sleep on bare concrete, and the sick and elderly are exposed to extreme heat and disease risks. “Hindi natin ginagawa dapat ito sa kababayan natin. Kasalanan na ito (We shouldn’t be doing this to our countrymen. This is a sin),” he said.
While the President did not name specific contractors, he noted that some are already “notorious” for fraudulent activities. “They have to be told who is responsible and somebody has to answer for their suffering,” he added.
Marcos assured that no one would be spared from scrutiny, even if they were allies of the administration. He encouraged citizens who have witnessed irregularities in flood control projects to review the list and assist in the investigation. “So, that applies to anything, to all of the projects that will happen. I’m sure maraming magsusumbong diyan. (I’m sure many will complain about that),” he concluded.