Senator Panfilo Ping Lacson stood up in the Senate with a fiery speech that shocked many. He said there are fishy and suspicious things going on in the building of flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro. These projects were supposed to protect towns from big floods, but many of them were either damaged, failed, or smelled of corruption.
👉 According to Lacson’s investigation, some projects had big “congressional insertions” — this means extra projects were added, possibly pushed by politicians. His team even saw huge banners near the flood projects in Naujan and Baco, proudly showing they were linked to a Congressman’s office.
💰 Lacson revealed:
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Naujan got ₱3.6 billion worth of projects.
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Baco got ₱807 million worth of projects.
And yet, the areas are still flooded badly whenever strong rains hit.
He even mentioned the name of a group called AGILA, saying their projects in two villages came from “unprogrammed funds” — special money from the government that’s hard to access. Lacson mocked, asking what kind of “magic charm” or “agimat” the Congressman had to make this happen so easily.
🔥 Lacson’s words cut deep:
“Wherever there are multi-million projects, AGILA flies in. But the people there are still drowning in floods!”
🛡️ The Congressman Fights Back
Oriental Mindoro Representative Arnan Panaligan quickly denied the accusations. He said:
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The DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), not him, was the one who planned, listed, and implemented the projects.
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He never handled the bidding, contracts, or payments. That was all DPWH’s exclusive job.
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He never even talked to the contractors involved.
Panaligan explained that while the projects were indeed included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) — the official budget prepared by the government — it didn’t mean he personally proposed or pushed them.
But he admitted one thing: since many projects were damaged or destroyed, they could look anomalous. He even showed reporters a letter he sent last July 2024 to DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, demanding the damaged projects be fixed and investigated.
🌊 The Bigger Picture
Lacson’s team didn’t just stop in one place. They went around 10 barangays in Oriental Mindoro to check on projects listed in DPWH’s records from 2023 to 2025. After the heavy flooding during the habagat, they found more suspicious and poorly done flood control projects.
He even showed a Facebook post where a Congressman bragged about projects supposedly “funded by his office,” including flood control and river protection. Lacson said this was part of a pattern nationwide — many politicians claim ownership of projects funded by taxpayer money.
“This is not just one case,” Lacson said. “This is a dirty pattern of public money being used the wrong way.”
⚠️ The President Speaks Out
President Bongbong Marcos Jr. also weighed in. He said these so-called “ghost” flood control projects are more than just corruption — they are an act of economic sabotage. That means they harm not just one place, but the whole country’s progress.
✨ In short:
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Lacson: Congressman’s name linked to shady flood projects.
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Panaligan: Denies, says it’s all DPWH’s responsibility.
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People: Still suffering from floods despite billions spent.
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Marcos: Calls it economic sabotage.
The drama continues — with billions of pesos, lives, and reputations on the line.
