Marcos orders probe of flood control projects

To those stealing infra funds: Mahiya naman kayo

- BY ALEXIS ROMERO

Admitting that many flood control projects were substandard or mere "figments of imagination," President Marcos ordered yesterday a probe as he vowed to run after those involved in anomalies that "stole the future" of storm-hit communities.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address, Marcos said the project irregularities come in many forms - SOP, errata, "for the boys," among othersdesigned to facilitate collusion among officials and contractors to pocket public funds.

"Recently, I inspected the effects of the southwest monsoon, cyclones Crising, Dante and Emong. I clearly saw that many projects for flood control are substandard and have collapsed. Others are mere figments of imagination," the President said. "Let us not pretend. The people know that there are rackets in the projects," he added.

"Mahiya naman kayo," he said, drawing a standing ovation.

"Be ashamed for the houses that were submerged in floods.

Be ashamed especially to our children who will inherit the debt that you caused because you pocketed the money," he said, referring to corrupt officials and private contractors.

To prevent a repeat of the effects of recent weather disturbances, Marcos directed the Department of Public Works and Highways to submit a list of all flood control projects from every region that were started or completed in the last three years.

"The regional project monitoring committee shall examine that list of projects and give a report on those that had been failures, those that were not finished and those that were alleged to be ghost projects," the Chief Executive said.

"We will publish this list. We will make this list public. The public will be a witness to these projects and they are free to examine the list and provide information that will help us in our investigation," he added.

Marcos said the government will conduct an audit and performance review of the projects to check how the budgets for them were spent.