President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. continues to trust Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan despite an ongoing investigation on the government’s flood-control projects, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said Bonoan is not directly involved in the probe but is providing records needed by investigators.
“The President’s trust in Secretary Bonoan remains,” Castro told reporters in a briefing.
The investigation stems from an audit President Marcos ordered following his State of the Nation Address, which revealed that 15 contractors accounted for about 20 percent of the total funding for flood-control projects nationwide during the review period.
Castro said the president disclosed the list to show which companies secured the most projects, examine the quality of their work, and determine why they frequently won contracts.
Some lawmakers have urged President Marcos to reveal the names to promote transparency and hold responsible parties to account.
When pressed on the president’s intentions in releasing the list, Castro said the aim was to examine the scope of projects awarded to these contractors, the quality of their work, and the officials who engaged with them.
“They are the ones who consistently get the most projects,” she said in Filipino.
“We need to find out what their projects were, who dealt with them, and whether their work was good. Why do they always dominate? That’s what we have to determine, and that’s why the president released the list,” Castro added.
When asked if the president would also name government officials and politicians connected to these contractors, Castro replied: “Once the investigation is completed.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated.
