NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Fully Paid For Nothing? 'Ghost' Flood Control Project Discovered In Davao Occidental
Photo credit: DPWH
There's some seriously concerning news out of Davao Occidental, where a supposed flood control project has been exposed as a 'ghost'—meaning it was fully paid for, but barely (if at all) started.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon was reportedly furious this afternoon upon inspecting the supposed project near Culaman Bridge in Jose Abad Santos. This project, which was funded and started under the previous administration in 2021-2022, was meant to protect a nearby community and school from flooding.
What the Secretary found, however, was shocking: the site looked like work had just begun, or maybe not even that, despite the agency having fully paid the winning bidder, St. Timothy Construction Company (owned by the Discaya family).
The assigned District Engineer, Rodrigo Larete, admitted that the contractor was fully compensated. Local residents confirmed the worst, telling the inspection team that the company did little to no work on the crucial facility, even after receiving the full payment.
This discovery is a major blow, as the flood control structure was highly anticipated to prevent devastating floods in the area. Now, there are major questions about how this could have happened and what steps will be taken next.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon was reportedly furious this afternoon upon inspecting the supposed project near Culaman Bridge in Jose Abad Santos. This project, which was funded and started under the previous administration in 2021-2022, was meant to protect a nearby community and school from flooding.
What the Secretary found, however, was shocking: the site looked like work had just begun, or maybe not even that, despite the agency having fully paid the winning bidder, St. Timothy Construction Company (owned by the Discaya family).
The assigned District Engineer, Rodrigo Larete, admitted that the contractor was fully compensated. Local residents confirmed the worst, telling the inspection team that the company did little to no work on the crucial facility, even after receiving the full payment.
This discovery is a major blow, as the flood control structure was highly anticipated to prevent devastating floods in the area. Now, there are major questions about how this could have happened and what steps will be taken next.
Sep 25, 2025
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