Photo courtesy from Terry Ridon

House Infrastructure Committee co-chair Representative Terry Ridon clarified that the so-called “ghost project” in Bulacan, which was recently inspected and flagged by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., originated from the executive branch’s National Expenditure Program (NEP) and not from congressional initiatives.

Ridon pointed out that the Reinforced Concrete Riverwall Project, implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First Engineering District Office in partnership with Syms Construction Trading, was part of the 2025 NEP and later included in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“This is a NEP-originated project, not a congressional initiative,” Ridon stressed, underscoring that the budget proposal for the riverwall construction came directly from the executive before being passed into law.

The clarification comes after Marcos inspected the project site and called it a ghost project, raising questions on accountability in public infrastructure spending. Ridon’s statement highlights the need to distinguish between budget items initiated by Congress and those proposed by the executive branch through the NEP.