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CoA flags P325M in missing Bulacan flood structures

FLOODING along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City brought by torrential rains from Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon on July 24, 2024. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE Commission on Audit (CoA) has submitted four more fraud audit reports to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), uncovering more than P325 million in Bulacan flood control projects where structures were missing or built outside approved locations.

In a statement dated Jan. 16 and released on Tuesday, the state auditor cited “systemic misuse of public funds” within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office.

The findings pointed to “ghost projects,” unauthorized site relocations and payments for infrastructure that predated contracts.

CoA said DPWH representatives directed inspectors to locations different from approved plans “without any approved revised plans or written authority to justify the relocation,” violating procurement and contract rules.

Auditors used drone surveillance and historical satellite imagery to expose irregularities in contracts awarded to Wawao Builders and Darcy and Anna Builders & Trading across four municipalities from July 2022 to May 2025.

In Malolos City, a P74.1-million riverbank protection project in the village of Babatnin was flagged after satellite data showed the structure existed nearly a year before the contract.

In Hagonoy, a P77.2-million project was declared 100% complete, though the structure was found roughly 694 meters from the approved site. In Guiguinto, a P96.5-million project showed discrepancies in length and cross-sections, which CoA said “seriously undermine the credibility of reported accomplishments and payments made.”

The audits follow an August 2025 directive from CoA Chairman Gamaliel A. Cordoba to address public concerns over ghost projects and corruption in critical infrastructure.

A total of 18 people — including district engineers, project engineers, section chiefs and representatives from the two construction firms — were named as potentially liable and could face graft, malversation and falsification charges.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has yet to decide the future of the ICI, the fact-finding body reviewing the projects, according to Malacañang.

“For now, and as the President has also said, it still depends on the work done, and it needs to be seen how far the ICI has gone in their tasks,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing.

The ICI, established through Executive Order No. 94 in September, has only its chairman, Andres B. Reyes, Jr., remaining after two commissioners resigned last year, citing completed work.

Ms. Castro said if the body were dissolved, the Office of the Ombudsman and Department of Justice would continue the investigation.

President Marcos said last week that the commission is “coming toward the end” of its run. He noted that new appointments would depend on whether further work is needed.

The Bulacan flood control scandal, which has drawn public outrage, involves billions of pesos in alleged kickbacks by government officials and contractors.

The climate-vulnerable country has long struggled to protect communities from floods despite repeated infrastructure spending.

Mr. Marcos first flagged the collusion in his July 2025 State of the Nation address and established the ICI to investigate and eventually refer cases to the courts. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Minority senators push flood control reforms

PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

MINORITY SENATORS on Tuesday called for structural reforms to curb corruption and inefficiency as the government continues its investigation into the multibillion-peso flood control scandal.

In a 576-page report released to reporters, the Senate minority bloc highlighted loopholes and lapses in state processes that allowed anomalous flood control projects to slip through.

“These reforms would prevent the inclusion of ‘ghost’ or fabricated projects in the National Expenditure Plan and curb politically motivated budget allocations disconnected from verified flood risks,” according to the report.

The report was signed by Senators Rodante D. Marcoleta, Maria Imelda R. Marcos, Christopher Lawrence T. Go, Ronald M. dela Rosa, Robinhood C. Padilla and Jose “Jinggoy” P. Ejercito Estrada.

Among the recommendations is the creation of a National Flood Management Framework to ensure flood control spending is geographically rationalized, technically sound and nationally coordinated.

The senators also called for stricter blacklisting and suspension mechanisms for erring contractors, including penalties for affiliates and beneficial owners.

“To prevent fragmentation of major flood control systems into multiple contracts designed to evade bidding thresholds, the law should strengthen the prohibition on contract splitting and ban multiple affiliated corporations from bidding on contiguous or functionally connected projects,” they said.

The minority bloc also proposed reforms to performance bond requirements, enforcing stricter rules and higher penalties for unjustified delays or defective outputs, particularly in flood-prone areas.

They also recommended amending the Government Auditing Code to penalize the refusal to submit documents, concealment of records and destruction of audit evidence.

“The minority observed that the lack of effective post-implementation monitoring and auditing has allowed fraudulent projects to escape detection,” they said.

The senators called for the immediate, impartial prosecution of lawmakers and officials implicated in the scandal. 

The report singled out former Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, saying he remains liable for either complicity or gross negligence in his role as Speaker.

“As the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, he cannot simply absolve himself from accountability — either he was complicit with the crooks or grossly negligent in his job,” according to the report.

Ex-Party-list Rep. Elizaldy S. Co was also cited for his role in pushing several budget insertions. Allegations earlier surfaced that his former security aide had delivered bags of money to the former Speaker under Mr. Co’s orders. Both Mr. Co and Mr. Romualdez have denied the claims.

The report noted that evidence against Senators Francis G. Escudero and Mr. Estrada remains unsubstantiated despite testimonies during Senate hearings.

The Blue Ribbon Committee has been investigating anomalous flood control projects since August, and testimonies and documents have been used to file charges against officials and lawmakers allegedly involved in the scandal. — Adrian H. Halili

Ex-Senator Revilla taken to QC jail

PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

FORMER Senator Ramon “Bong” B. Revilla, Jr. was committed to the Quezon City (QC) Jail-Male Dormitory in Payatas on Tuesday, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), following a directive from the Sandiganbayan involving a non-bailable malversation charge.

The DILG and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said in a statement that Mr. Revilla arrived at the facility at approximately 2:28 p.m. on Tuesday. The transfer was executed pursuant to a commitment order issued by the anti-graft court’s Third Division, which directed his transfer to the custody of the jail bureau.

The case centers on an alleged P92.8-million “ghost” flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last week. While Mr. Revilla posted a P90,000 bail for a separate graft charge earlier on Tuesday, the malversation charge — involving the falsification of public documents — remains non-bailable, necessitating his detention.

“The DILG and the BJMP assure the public that Revilla is being accorded the same treatment, security measures, and jail management protocols as all other persons deprived of liberty, in strict adherence to existing laws, rules, and regulations,” the agencies said.

Meanwhile, Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is “saddened” by the arrest of Mr. Revilla, his political ally, but underscored the importance of due process.

“He said he feels saddened because he was with him in the Alyansa and counts Senator Revilla as a friend, but nonetheless, due process must still prevail,” she told reporters in Filipino. “This has to be done because there is a process for him to be held accountable for what happened,” she added. 

Meanwhile, authorities separately arrested one of the co-accused of Mr. Revilla in Benguet early on Tuesday.

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) said the suspect, Christina Mae del Rosario Pineda, who was visiting the province, was arrested at around 12:40 a.m. along Halsema Highway in Bangao, Buguias, Benguet.

The 38-year-old Ms. Pineda works as a cashier at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office.

The CIDG Mountain Province unit coordinated with CIDG Cordillera for her arrest. She was later transported to Region 3 at about 5 a.m. also on Tuesday.

Mr. Revilla and six others, including Ms. Pineda, are facing malversation charges over an alleged irregularity in a flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan. The Sandiganbayan Third Division issued her warrant of arrest last Jan. 19. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking and Artemio A. Dumlao

DoLE to strengthen labor programs

Workers take a break at a construction site along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, Jan. 30, 2025. — PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B. PABALATE

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said on Tuesday that its P61.17-billion budget for 2026, 19.47% higher than its 2025 allocation, will fund government employment programs, livelihood initiatives, and labor compliance efforts.

The funds will support key initiatives such as the DoLE Integrated Livelihood Program, Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers, the Government Internship Program, the Special Program for Employment of Students, and JobStart Philippines, DoLE said in a statement.

“The correct amount based on the General Appropriations Act (GAA) is P61.17 billion. If you check the posted GAA 2026 on the Department of Budget and Management website, this is the figure we have,” DoLE Undersecretary Warren M. Miclat was quoted in the statement.

Of this amount, P29.98 billion was earmarked for the Office of the Secretary, while the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the National Labor Relations Commission will receive P26.06 billion and P1.80 billion, respectively.

The 2026 budget also allocated P371.16 million for the National Conciliation and Mediation Board, P357.06 million for the National Wages and Productivity Commission, P2.52 billion for the Professional Regulation Commission, and P77.90 million for the Institute for Labor Studies.

Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma has instructed regional directors to safeguard the integrity of DoLE programs from political misuse, regardless of election cycles. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking

SHS voucher program could decongest public schools, EDCOM says

BW FILE PHOTO

THE Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) on Tuesday called on the Education department to leverage its voucher programs to ease classroom congestion in public schools.

Speaking at a Senate education hearing, EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark R. Yee said that the Department of Education (DepEd) should utilize the voucher program to tap private schools to relieve congested public school classrooms.

“Those schools with congestion and multi-shifts should be prioritized,” he told the Senate panel in mixed English and Filipino.

EDCOM also found that due to the severe classroom shortage, about 2,233 schools facilitate multiple shifts, which divides school days into two or more sessions to accommodate students.

Mr. Yee added that the congestion was most notable in Calabarzon, National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Central Visayas.

“If there are available vouchers, we can prioritize those areas first. We don’t have to give them out all at once,” he added.

The Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education provides financial support to students and teachers in private schools, by offering scholarships, subsidies, and incentives, particularly to disadvantaged students

He said that the Education department must conduct network analysis to identify isolated schools and plan alternative solutions for learners.

EDCOM is also pushing the agency to consider using vouchers to improve access to special education and alternative learning systems for students.

DepEd earlier reported that the country has a shortage of 165,000 classrooms, which it estimates would take 55 years to complete. — Adrian H. Halili

Illegal fertilizer, pesticide seized in Quezon City

REUTERS

AUTHORITIES have seized illegally sold fertilizer and pesticide products worth P175,000 following a series of entrapment operations against unlicensed online sellers in Quezon City, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) said.

In a statement on Monday, the FPA said raids were carried out in establishments along Mindanao Avenue, Cubao, and the Quezon Memorial Circle area after weeks of cyber monitoring and validation of online transactions.

The operations were conducted by the FPA in coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and the Philippine National Police.

Confiscated during the operations were 163 fertilizers and 113 pesticide products allegedly being sold online without the required FPA license to operate.

The FPA said the crackdown followed the issuance of its Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2026, which revoked previous guidelines that allowed the online trading of fertilizers and pesticides. The agency said it does not issue licenses or permits authorizing the sale of such products through online platforms.

The agency advised farmers and buyers to purchase agricultural inputs only from licensed dealers and to verify product registration and seller information through its official website to avoid unsafe or substandard products. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel

Moneymax, CCAP launch credit education initiative

ONLINE FINANCE PLATFORM Moneymax has partnered with the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP) to launch a credit education initiative aimed at helping Filipinos build and manage credit responsibly.

“Financial literacy is one of the major advocacies of CCAP… We felt that Moneymax is a very reputable and popular platform, especially for young people. They have experience in credit education so we felt it would be an ideal partnership because we could provide resources to them and they can also share the resources with us,” CCAP Executive Director Alex G. Ilagan said in a media briefing on Tuesday.

The initiative will feature structured guides, interactive online content, and a series of webinars delivered across Moneymax’s digital platforms and partner channels.

Moneymax and CCAP will also promote responsible participation in the formal credit system by encouraging the use of regulated financial products and consistent repayment practices.

“This partnership is all about helping Filipinos to improve their credit awareness. It is purely focused on credit literacy, understanding what the responsible credit behavior looks like, and how that impacts your approvals, how much interest you get charged, what’s your credit limit,” MoneyHero Group Chief Commercial Officer Shravan Thakur said.

The partnership also aims to address the gap between the availability of financial products versus financial mobility, with most lacking the formal credit ratings needed to access traditional bank loans and essential financial tools. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

TNT faces titleholder SMB in Game 1 of Philippine Cup Finals

PBA

Game on Wednesday
(Ynares Center-Antipolo)
7:30 p.m. – TNT vs San Miguel Beermen (Finals Game 1)

UP against San Miguel Beermen (SMB), the big dogs of the PBA’s centerpiece conference, TNT armed itself with one of the most crucial foundations for success — self-belief.

“I feel if we’re coming into this series with less than 100% belief, then we have no chance. So it starts from there,” coach Chot Reyes said as the Tropang 5G challenge the Philippine Cup (PC) titleholder Beermen beginning on Wednesday at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.

“We have to have the belief that regardless of who’s healthy or not, we’re going to come out and play our best game. And the problem is even if we bring out our best game, it’s not guaranteed we will beat a team as strong as San Miguel. But in the end, all we can do is do our best and if that happens to be enough, then so be it; if not, it doesn’t bother us too much.”

The flagship franchise of the MVP Group and their counterpart from San Miguel Corp. face off exactly 180 days after disputing the league’s crown jewel in the previous season.

The Beermen won then, 4-2, and are now determined to repeat and annex their eighth diadem in the last 11 editions of the All-Filipino, and third at TNT’s expense.

“It is hard to defeat TNT, given their experience. In the last three conferences (prior to the coming series), they were in the finals and I think they’re thinking of how to get back at us because last conference we beat them in the finals,” said SMB’s Leo Austria.

Learning from the July 2025 experience, the Tropang 5G beefed up with the pre-season acquisition of pesky guard Jio Jalalon, veteran sniper Kevin Ferrer and high-flying Tyrus Hill. Mr. Reyes’ squad also welcomed back Rey Nambatac and Poy Erram to the Last Dance after getting sidelined by injuries last time. RR Pogoy, though, is still recovering from hamstring injury, leaving Calvin Oftana, Kelly Williams, Jordan Heading, Brandon Rosser, Messrs. Nambatac and Erram with heavier loads for now.

“If you go into any tournament, you take a look at who’s the big guy on the block. No secret that San Miguel has dominated this tournament. So if you want to be able to compete with them, then you better have the resources and that’s what guided our buildup,” said Mr. Reyes.

“Obviously, the fact that we are complete now, though not 100% complete, gives us a better chance, but it’s no guarantee of success. I think we have a better chance and, in the end, that’s all we want,” he added.

Mr. Heading, who joined TNT in the season-ending PC and fell short of his first championship as the Tropang 5G missed the last piece to a rare grand slam, relishes this second chance.

“We’re just really happy we have this opportunity again, have a crack at the crown. We’re just hoping it comes out a little bit differently this time,” he said.

The June Mar Fajardo-led Beermen are out to preserve their esteemed reputation.

“We feel like not only in the All-Filipino, but like every conference, we should win a championship. So, if we don’t, it’s a failure. But especially in this All-Filipino. I think we’re the only team to ever win five straight, right? So that’s a feat in itself and we take it personal,” said Chris Ross.

“We know that these teams are getting better. But we feel like we’re one of the best All-Filipino teams that’s ever played in the PBA. There’s been different iterations of our team but we keep winning and we’re in the finals again. Hopefully we can get four more wins before TNT does. It’s going to be a battle.”

Notes: The Phoenix Fuel Masters announced the appointment of St. Benilde’s Charles Tiu as their new head coach on Tuesday. Mr. Tiu, who had previous stints as assistant coach with Meralco and Converge, took over from Willy Wilson, whom the Fuel Masters released last week after a one-conference tenure of three wins and eight losses. — Olmin Leyba

Team Philippines ensured of two silver medals in 3×3 wheelchair basketball at ASEAN Para Games

THE Philippines pulled off a pair of nail-biting victories to ensure itself of at least two silver medals in 3×3 wheelchair basketball at the 13th ASEAN Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

The Filipinos turned back the Malaysians, 13-11, to claim a finals berth in the men’s division while the Filipinas dug deeper into their last remaining reservoir of strength in besting the Laotians, 8-4, and advancing to the finale.

Both squads face host Thailand for the gold medal round set on Thursday.

Regardless of the result, the country is already ensured of a pair of silvers including that historic one by the women’s squad.

“It’s history in the making because this is the first time we won a medal since we first joined in 2018,” said a teary-eyed, tattooed Filipina bruiser Camille Castro.

Needing to win by a minimum of four points to clinch the other finals berth, the Filipinas did just enough in coming through with what was needed and took the road to glory.

The pair of results somehow eased the pain of the football team’s 19-0 decimation at the hands of the Thais.

Action takes a momentary break on Wednesday with the opening ceremony where the country will be led by flag bearer Jerrold Mangliwan from wheelchair racing before resuming on Thursday where the real battle begins.

All eyes should remain on the chess, athletics and swimming teams, which accounted for all but one of the 33 gold medals the nation harvested in the last edition in Phnom Penh three years ago.

Also wading into war are powerlifting, which came through with one gold in the Cambodian capital, and other sports where the country hopes to rake in more medals like archery, badminton, boccia, road cycling, goalball, sitting volleyball, table tennis and tenpin bowling. — Joey Villar

Patriots and Seahawks rated as favorites to reach Super Bowl

THE New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are the favorites to reach Super Bowl LX at Santa Clara, California.

The Patriots are 5.5-point road favorites over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. Denver’s chances took a big hit when standout quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle in Saturday’s 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round.

New England recorded a 28-16 home win over the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Seattle is 2.5-point home favorites over the NFC West-rival Los Angeles Rams in the NFC title game. It will be the third time the Seahawks and Rams meet this season.

Seattle steamrolled the visiting San Francisco 49ers, 41-6, on Saturday, while Los Angeles registered a 20-17 overtime victory over the host Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Seattle (+145) is listed as favorites to win the Super Bowl by DraftKings. The Rams (+210) are next in line and New England (+270) follows while the Broncos (+1100) are decisive long shots.

The Seahawks and Rams split the two regular-season meetings.

Seattle’s third and final regular-season setback was a 21-19 road loss to the Rams on Nov. 16. The Seahawks have since won eight straight games.

Seattle defeated Los Angeles, 38-37, at home in overtime on Dec. 18 when Sam Darnold tossed a game-ending two-point conversion pass to Eric Saubert.

DraftKings has set the over-under at 47.5 for this matchup. The Rams posted a 34-31 road win over the host Carolina Panthers in the wild-card round on Jan. 10 prior to beating the Bears.

The Patriots and Broncos are meeting for the first time since Christmas Eve 2023 when New England won 26-23 in Denver. Bailey Zappe (Patriots) and Russell Wilson (Broncos) were the quarterbacks. — Reuters

All-Star James

For more than two decades, LeBron James’ name on the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star starting lineup was not so much announced as assumed. It was a constant, arriving with the same predictability as the very passage of time. From his teenage emergence in Cleveland to his late-career stewardship in Los Angeles, the distinction was both an honor than a reaffirmation of a central truth in pro hoops: year after year, he remained its most enduring axis. This season, for the first time since his rookie year, that assumption no longer held.

The mechanics are straightforward enough. The revised All-Star voting format, with fans’ choices weighted heavily, elevated a new Western Conference starting five and left James missing the cut. To be sure, age and availability played their parts; at 41, in his 23rd campaign, he has missed games, managed his body, and picked his spots. The numbers he puts up on the board are still impressive, but they are no longer overwhelming. In a league invariably rich with peak-age superstars, respect in and of itself is insufficient currency. The ballot, cold and unsentimental, reflected the stark reality.

Yet to frame the development purely as a referendum on James’ performance is to miss the larger undercurrent. All-Star voting has always been more about presence than precision; it’s about who commands attention in a given snapshot of history. And for 21 years, he did so effortlessly. He bridged eras, platforms, and generations, remaining culturally indispensable even as the NBA continued to reinvent itself. That he is now edged out underscores not a collapse of his standing, but a public redirection of fascination. These days, the NBA’s audience is younger, more fragmented, and increasingly attached to players whose careers align with their own timelines. Legacy, his most powerful accelerator, is being overrun by immediacy.

Make no mistake. James remains productive, influential, and deeply relevant. That said, he is no longer singular enough to keep the votes that used to come his way without question. As with the great careers of countless others before him, his is ending amid diminishing certainty; he is learning firsthand the difference between being excellent and being inevitable. Michael Jordan experienced it. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did, too. Longevity buys time, not immunity from its ravages.

Which is not to say James is done. Far from it. He will almost certainly be named an All-Star reserve, extending another remarkable run at or near the top of the heap. He will continue to shape games, conversations, and expectations for the foreseeable future. All the same, there can be no doubting that the league’s most durable presence is becoming part of its past, and faster than he would like. Not dismissed, but placed, at last, within the flow of time.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

ASEAN will not certify Myanmar election or send observers, Malaysia says

A MYANMAR protester residing in Japan uses a face mask with an image of Myanmar’s detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a rally denouncing an upcoming election led by the military junta and demanding the immediate release of Ms. Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, outside Myanmar’s embassy in Tokyo, Japan on Dec. 14, 2025. — REUTERS/ISSEI KATO

KUALA LUMPUR — The 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will not send observers to army-ruled Myanmar’s ongoing three-stage election and will therefore not endorse the poll, Malaysia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Myanmar has been ravaged by conflict since the military staged a coup against a civilian government in 2021.

The election, which began in December last year, has been criticized by the United Nations, many Western countries and rights groups as a ploy to legitimize military rule through political proxies — a charge the junta has denied.

In a low turnout, voters cast their ballots in the second stage of the poll earlier this month, with the military-allied Union Solidarity and Development Party leading after securing 88% of the lower house seats contested over the first phase.

Speaking in parliament, Minister Mohamad Hasan said ASEAN had rejected a request from Myanmar to send election observers during the annual leaders’ summit in Kuala Lumpur last year, though some individual member states had decided to do so on their own.

“We have said that ASEAN will not send observers, and by virtue of that, we will not certify the poll,” Mr. Mohamad said in response to a question from another lawmaker about Malaysia and ASEAN’s position on the election.

Separately, Mr. Mohamad also said ASEAN was in the final stages of concluding a long-proposed code of conduct with Beijing this year concerning activities in the South China Sea.

“We hope we are able to do it by this year,” he said.

ASEAN and China pledged in 2002 to create a code of conduct but took 15 years to start discussions, and progress has been slow.

Beijing claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including parts of the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, complicating fishing and energy exploration activities by those countries. — Reuters

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