QC looking for 'ghost' DPWH flood projects

Dozens of flood control projects implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Quezon City remain unaccounted for, with Mayor Joy Belmonte describing these as “ghost projects” whose funding could have been used to help millions of Filipinos.

- By JANVIC MATEO

“As an ordinary citizen, based on the findings, my conclusion is that these are ghost projects,” Belmonte said at a press briefing yesterday. “As a normal person, for me, I believe those are ghost projects.”

Belmonte was referring to the findings of the local government's investigation into the DPWH flood control projects in the city from 2022 to 2025.

From the 254 flood mitigation projects initially identified by the local government, the total number of DPWH projects in the city ballooned to 331 after district offices submitted an updated list.

Among these were 66 flood control projects with “location errors,” including 35 without coordinates and “cannot be found” and another 31 with incorrect coordinates.