President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said private contractor companies found to be involved in anomalous flood control projects will be blacklisted and potentially face charges.
“We already have some names that are coming up. First of all, corporations that—the contractors who are obviously not doing a good job. We will put them on a blacklist. They can no longer have contracts with the government,” Marcos said in his “BBM Podcast Episode 3: Sa Likod ng SONA” aired on Monday.
The President said these companies will be required to explain how they used the funds for the projects.
“If they will not properly explain, we will have to take it to the next step,” he said.
In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, the President directed the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Regional Project Monitoring Committee to provide a list of all flood control projects in the past three years and identify the failed and non-existent projects.
During his podcast, the President also issued a strong warning to those responsible for the failed flood control projects in the country.
He added “somebody has to answer for the suffering” of the Filipino people.
Marcos said his decision to publicly confront the issue during his SONA stemmed from witnessing the devastation caused by substandard or faulty flood control projects in light of recent typhoons.
The President 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 risk of diseases.
“We shouldn’t be doing this to our countrymen. This is a sin,” Marcos said.
President Marcos did not mention names but noted that some are already “notorious” in the fraudulent scheme.
“They have to be told who is responsible and somebody has to answer for their suffering,” he said.
The President assured that no one would be spared from scrutiny, even if they were allies of the administration.
He also encouraged citizens who have witnessed irregularities in flood control projects in their areas 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 many will complain about that,” he added.
