NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
15 'Non-Existent' Flood-Control Projects Surface In DPWH Probe
Photo credit: Senate PH
Former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan has revealed that 15 flood-control projects cannot be located out of the more than 1,600 projects reviewed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
According to Bonoan, these so-called “non-existent projects” are still under verification. He clarified that they should not be confused with “ghost projects,” which are officially recorded as completed but are later discovered to have no actual infrastructure built on the ground.
“In the case of these 15 projects, what we found is that their locations remain unclear. They’re not registered as finished projects, but when checked, they cannot be traced to any site either,” Bonoan explained.
The missing projects were reportedly identified in Bulacan and in Regions 1, 2, and 3. While the DPWH has confirmed that these entries exist on paper, the challenge lies in determining where they were supposed to have been implemented.
Out of the 1,600 projects that underwent validation, Bonoan emphasized that only 15 fell into this “non-existent” category, suggesting that the problem may not be widespread but still raises questions about accountability and project monitoring.
The ongoing verification process is expected to shed more light on whether these projects were the result of clerical errors, mismanagement, or more serious irregularities. For now, the DPWH is working to track down the intended locations and determine what truly happened to the projects that appear to have simply vanished from record and reality.
According to Bonoan, these so-called “non-existent projects” are still under verification. He clarified that they should not be confused with “ghost projects,” which are officially recorded as completed but are later discovered to have no actual infrastructure built on the ground.
“In the case of these 15 projects, what we found is that their locations remain unclear. They’re not registered as finished projects, but when checked, they cannot be traced to any site either,” Bonoan explained.
The missing projects were reportedly identified in Bulacan and in Regions 1, 2, and 3. While the DPWH has confirmed that these entries exist on paper, the challenge lies in determining where they were supposed to have been implemented.
Out of the 1,600 projects that underwent validation, Bonoan emphasized that only 15 fell into this “non-existent” category, suggesting that the problem may not be widespread but still raises questions about accountability and project monitoring.
The ongoing verification process is expected to shed more light on whether these projects were the result of clerical errors, mismanagement, or more serious irregularities. For now, the DPWH is working to track down the intended locations and determine what truly happened to the projects that appear to have simply vanished from record and reality.
Sep 2, 2025
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