Senator Panfilo Lacson on Sunday clarified that confusion surrounding hundreds of flood control projects labeled as alleged “ghost projects” stemmed from mapping errors, not the nonexistence of the projects.
Lacson said the issue was caused by incorrect grid coordinates submitted to Malacañang during the tenure of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan, resulting in discrepancies between official records and actual project locations.
The matter was revisited during a recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, where lawmakers stressed the need for accurate geographic data, proper project mapping and stricter verification processes to prevent misreporting.
Because of the faulty coordinates, several flood control projects appeared to be missing from official databases despite having been completed on the ground, Lacson said.
Joint inspections conducted by the DPWH and private contractors later confirmed the existence of a number of the projects initially flagged as absent.
Some were found to be located in areas different from those reflected in official records due to the erroneous coordinates submitted, including projects inspected in Bulacan.
The results of the joint inspections were documented in official DPWH reports submitted to the Senate.
Lawmakers also emphasized during the hearing that private contractors are limited to implementing projects based on technical plans, drawings and directives issued by the DPWH.
Contractors have no authority to alter project locations or determine their own geographic coordinates.
The Senate inquiry continues as legislators review documentation and recommend measures to strengthen project monitoring and data accuracy across government infrastructure programs.
