Flood Control Anomalies Stir Controversy Among Officials
Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro recently addressed the ongoing discussion surrounding flood control anomalies. She emphasized that criticisms without constructive solutions do little to help Filipinos grappling with these issues.
Castro responded to Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s comments, which claimed that alleged ghost projects on flood control only surfaced during the current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The mayor’s remarks sparked further debate on the effectiveness and transparency of flood mitigation efforts.
Mayor Duterte’s Critique on Flood Control Anomalies
Mayor Duterte voiced concerns, stating, “If we are talking about flood control projects, they just came out now. But the administration has done it for the past 3 years, so we also don’t have infrastructure and if we have it, it is being cheapened. Flood control has become ghost projects. They are now in trouble, they are pointing fingers.”
He also highlighted challenges with centralized governance, adding, “We have a master plan. We are working with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) for the projects. But if your government is too centralized, it will not really go to the provinces because that has been the system since then.”
Palace Responds to Flood Control Anomalies Claims
In reaction, Castro affirmed that President Marcos continues to actively address flood control anomalies. She stressed that unaccompanied criticisms do not benefit the Filipino people.
“Comments like this from them BUT no suggestions are given to resolve the problem are not helpful to the Filipino people,” Castro said, urging for constructive dialogue instead of finger-pointing.
Questioning the Previous Administration’s Flood Control Projects
Castro challenged Mayor Duterte to inform the public about the 13,917 flood control projects reportedly initiated by the previous administration under his father.
“What they could have done to help is to inform the people about the 13,917 flood control projects of the previous administration so that everyone knows if they exist, are operational, are they effective in the flood problem and if we are feeling these projects now and in previous years,” she explained.
She added that President Marcos remains open to hearing any sensible suggestions from Duterte or other officials to improve flood control efforts nationwide.
Investigation Underway on Flood Control Anomalies
Authorities are currently probing alleged anomalies in flood control projects after President Marcos revealed that about 20 percent of the entire P545-billion budget for flood mitigation was awarded to only 15 contractors. This revelation has intensified calls for transparency and accountability in the implementation of flood control initiatives.
For more news and updates on flood control anomalies, visit Filipinokami.com.
