By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
A year to the date after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. unraveled the widespread corruption that plagued various flood control projects across the archipelago, he opened his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday with a brief overview of the administration’s progress on this pressing national issue.
Since 2025, various figures, including key officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), faced charges and the court’s music as their shady schemes were made known to the public through various site inspections conducted by Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon.
These include former DPWH Secretary Manny Bonoan, former Ako-Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co, and contractor-couple Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, as well as individuals who make up the Bulacan Group of Contractors (better known as BGC Boys): former DPWH Bulacan District Engineers Brice Hernandez, Henry Alcantara, Jaypee Mendoza, and Project Engineer Arjay Domasig.
Such was complemented by the introduction of the Sumbong sa Pangulo website in August 2025 and the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) in September 2025, which further expedited the investigation into the flood control mess.
The former is an online portal that encouraged the common folk to report ‘ghost’ and anomalous flood control projects in their respective locales for prompt interventions and repercussions for those involved in its construction (or lack thereof), while the latter is an independent flood control probe body that sifted through mountains of paperwork to hold the culprits accountable for their misdeeds.
Speaking before the members of the House and Senate, President Marcos Jr. confirmed that the Office of the Ombudsman is set to file charges against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who was found to be embroiled in this national controversy.
The President outlined other measures by the administration to act upon the issue, “Gayundin, pinigilan natin ang paglabas ng pera ng bayan na ipambabayad pa dapat sa mga depektibo, peke, o guni-guning mga proyekto, at mapupunta lamang sa mga bulsa ng mga tiwaling kontraktor at opisyal.
Halos dalawampu’t limang bilyong piso ang halaga ng nabawi, “frozen,” at napreserbang mga pera at ari-arian ng mga akusado. [applause] Ang mahigit walong daang milyong piso dito ay agad nating naibalik sa Treasury.”
He wrapped up the discussion on this topic by citing sweeping reforms made to weed out the erring officials and malpractices in governance in DPWH under the watch of Secretary Dizon.
The Chief Executive noted the introduction of ‘young blood’ among the agency’s ranks, as well as the introduction of a Transparency Portal and Integrity Chain in partnership with civil society organizations to ensure that public funds will neither be wasted nor pocketed by those with ill intentions.
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