LAS Piñas Lone District Rep. Mark Anthony Santos yesterday revealed that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) poured a staggering ₱2.2 billion into 39 questionable flood control projects in the city from year 2022 to 2025.
Citing serious concerns over transparency, Santos urged the House InfraComm to summon DPWH officials and the top contractors involved once the committee begins its investigation on September 2.
The congressman revealed that since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office in July 2022, the DPWH has rolled out 10 flood control projects across different barangays in Las Piñas—yet flooding in the city remains unabated.
Santos said DPWH Undersecretary for Technical Services Ador Canlas confirmed that the Las Piñas–Muntinlupa District Engineering Office allocated ₱437.1 million for these flood control projects alone, not including several other multi-million-peso infrastructure projects whose impact on residents remains highly questionable.
Last Friday, Santos exposed 16 out of 61 infrastructure projects of the DPWH in Las Piñas City this year as allegedly ghost or unfinished.
Santos also discovered that the multi-million-peso projects were largely “cornered” by only four to five contractors, reportedly allies and relatives of powerful local politicians for decades.
The lawmaker was informed by Canlas that the DPWH Las Piñas–Muntinlupa District Engineering Office headed by embattled district engineer Isabelo Baleros allotted a total of P572.9 million for nine flood control projects in year 2023.
The biggest allocation went to I&E Construction Corp., which bagged ₱82.5 million for the construction of a flood control system in Pasong Baka Creek and another ₱67.5 million for Kantarilla Creek in Las Piñas City.
Meanwhile, the controversial E.F. Chua Construction Inc. secured four flood control projects from the Las Piñas–Muntinlupa District Engineering Office in 2023 alone, amounting to a staggering ₱220.3 million, according to Santos.
Santos further revealed that in 2024, the DPWH poured another ₱807.1 million into ten flood control projects in Las Piñas—funds sourced entirely from taxpayers.
“These are not just figures on paper—this is billions of pesos in taxpayers’ money,” Santos stressed. “Every peso wasted on questionable projects is a stolen opportunity for genuine solutions to flooding.”
Based on official documents from the DPWH Central Office, I&E Construction Corp. cornered at least four multimillion-peso flood control projects last year, while E.F. Chua Construction Inc. secured three more large-scale contracts.
For 2025, eight additional flood control projects are under construction in Las Piñas with a combined budget of ₱417.2 million. The single largest allocation—₱101.8 million—was once again awarded to E.F. Chua Construction Inc.
Yet, records reveal glaring delays. The ₱101-million slope protection and flood control project in Barangay Talon 2 remains unfinished, with only 33.98 percent accomplishment as of June 2025.
Similarly, the ₱98.5-million flood control project along Zapote River upstream and its tributaries, also awarded to E.F. Chua, has reached only 50 percent completion as of June 30, Santos learned.
“Las Piñas only has 20 barangays, yet there are 39 flood control projects—meaning there are almost two projects for every barangay. This raises serious questions about planning, prioritization, and whether taxpayer money is being spent wisely,” Santos said.
Santos vowed to push for a full congressional investigation into how these contracts were awarded and why Las Piñas residents continue to suffer from flooding despite billions being poured into so-called flood control projects.
“The people of Las Piñas deserve answers. How can billions be spent and yet flooding remains a persistent problem? This is a failure of planning, accountability, and public service,” Santos said.
He also appealed to Bicol Saro Rep. Terry L. Ridon, head of the House Committee on Public Works and Highways, to expand the investigation to include all questionable and anomalous government infrastructure projects in Las Piñas, not just flood control.
“This is not just about flood control,” Santos added. “We must examine every project, every peso spent, to ensure transparency and hold the responsible parties accountable. The taxpayers deserve nothing less.”
