Look beyond top 15 contractors

EYES WIDE OPEN

- IRIS GONZALES

We were all shocked to hear that only 15 contractors cornered P100 billion or 20 percent of the entire P545-billion budget for flood control projects that have been undertaken since the start of President Marcos' term in 2022.

He named names and how many projects each contractor bagged and where.

This is a step in the right direction and the Marcos administration must indeed investigate why it has come to this and why only a few contractors cornered these projects. Any irregularity must be dealt with and those found guilty of substandard or overpriced projects must be held into account.

Ghost projects

But focusing solely on the 15 contractors is missing the point and is certainly a disservice to this nation of 115 million.

The investigation must also focus on the ghost projects because these non-existent infrastructure projects are the ultimate thievery.

And contractors notorious for doing ghost projects are not in the top 15 list that President Marcos bared.

Thus, the administration must also focus on unscrupulous and audacious contractors which have been found guilty of ghost projects.

One of my sources said there's a notorious contractor with a dubious name (it sounds like the name of a salon) that is behind some of the biggest ghost projects in Bulacan – in connivance of course with corrupt district engineers.

In one district in Bulacan, and in one GAA year, it is estimated that 30 percent are ghost projects and some of these projects happened because of contractors who agreed to this kind of set-up.