Pasig Mayor Exposes Discayas’ Firms in Flood Control Projects
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto recently revealed that two of the top 15 contractor firms awarded the majority of government flood control projects are owned by the Discaya family. This disclosure came as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the list of contractors receiving a combined P100 billion for flood mitigation efforts, part of a larger P545-billion budget from July 2022 to May 2025.
Mayor Sotto emphasized the significance of the flood control projects, stating that the exact four-word keyphrase “flood control projects” must be scrutinized closely. He pledged to investigate any irregularities and forward all findings to the president to ensure transparency and accountability in these vital infrastructure initiatives.
Top Contractors Linked to Rival Family
According to local officials, the firms Alpha & Omega General Contractor & Development Corp. and St. Timothy Construction Corporation ranked second and third, respectively, among the contractors receiving flood control projects. Both companies are reportedly owned by the Discaya family, which is politically linked to Mayor Sotto’s rival in the upcoming 2025 elections, Sarah Discaya.
“Now, the public is gradually learning the whole truth,” Sotto stated in Filipino, underscoring the need for greater awareness about the contractors involved in these projects. He also recalled the president’s admonition during his State of the Nation Address, urging those involved to “Have some shame!”
Understanding How Corruption Happens
While President Marcos did not directly accuse the contractors of corruption, he described the list as a “disturbing assessment” and noted that these firms stood out significantly. Mayor Sotto, however, stressed that corruption in government contracting is an open secret within the public sector.
He outlined six stages where corruption typically occurs, starting from the procurement or bidding process, where anomalies and collusion can take root. During project implementation, the work may be substandard or, as the president put it, “may just be an imagination.”
Sotto further explained that kickbacks or standard operating procedures often consume more than half of a project’s budget. Meanwhile, proper taxes are frequently unpaid to both the Bureau of Internal Revenue and local government units. He cited cases where companies declared zero gross revenue to local authorities to avoid paying business taxes.
Finally, after mastering these corrupt practices, some firms enter politics, returning only a small fraction—about one percent—of the stolen funds as aid to appear generous. “Good thing all the candidates from that group lost, even their party-list,” noted Sotto, referring to Sara Discaya and her allies in the 2025 local elections.
Other Discaya-Owned Companies in Spotlight
Aside from Alpha & Omega and St. Timothy Construction, several other contractor firms linked to the Discaya family have been named. These include:
- St. Gerrard Construction
- Elite General Contractor and Development Corp
- St. Matthew General Contractor & Development
- Great Pacific Builders and General Contractor
- YPR General Contractor and Construction Supply
- Amethyst Horizon Builders and General Contractor & Development Corp.
- Way Maker OPC
Pasig Government’s Commitment to Transparency
Mayor Sotto vowed that the Pasig City government will compile and send all red flags and relevant information regarding corruption in government contracting to President Marcos. He also committed to pursuing legal cases against those who owe millions, if not billions, in business taxes to the local government.
“We will continue the cases against these people so that we can collect the millions, if not billions, of pesos that they owe the LGU in business taxes,” Sotto said. He called on Pasig residents to help expose and end systemic corruption, even if it may pose risks.
Community members noted that no response has been received from the Discaya family regarding these allegations as of this writing.
For more news and updates on flood control projects, visit Filipinokami.com.
