FOLLOWING the most recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, it has now been clarified that contrary to initial sensationalized reports, alleged “ghost projects” are not widespread nationwide, but are confined to no fewer than 10 projects, all located in the Bulacan first engineering district.
The hearing further revealed that many of the projects initially tagged as “ghosts” are, in fact, existing and functional.
The confusion arose because the DPWH Planning Office relied on the MYPS (multiyear programming system) coordinates rather than the actual on-site coordinates of the completed or ongoing projects.
This technical mismatch created the erroneous impression that projects were missing when in fact they were not.
Contrary to earlier claims that ghost projects numbered in the hundreds nationwide, the clarified data now shows a much narrower and localized issue.
Moreover, numerous flood control projects across the country are existing, operational, and serving their intended purpose of mitigating floods.
Alarmingly, some projects were not damaged at all, but were deliberately excavated by local officials, allegedly for political reasons, to expose steel sheet piles shorter than those indicated in detailed plans — without considering allowable tolerances, construction stages, or ongoing rectification responsibilities of the contractors.
Even more concerning is that projects still under construction or still fully within the contractor’s warranty period have already resulted in criminal charges being filed against DPWH engineers and career officials.
In several instances, contractors were prevented from rectifying defects because project sites were treated as “crime scenes” that could no longer be touched.
This runs counter to the longstanding and established procedures of the Department of Public Works and Highways, where defective or substandard works are addressed through rectification orders, pursuant to contract warranties and performance guarantees.
As in any large-scale infrastructure program, not all projects are 100-percent perfect upon initial inspection, and the remedy has always been correction — not criminalization.
This situation sets a dangerous precedent.
If allowed to continue, any private individual or local actor can excavate projects still under warranty, disrupt ongoing works and immediately trigger criminal complaints — without giving contractors the chance to comply with contractual remedies.
This opens the door to harassment, intimidation and politically motivated interference, not only against contractors but also against government engineers performing their official duties.
If this becomes the norm, excavations will happen everywhere, projects will grind to a halt, and public infrastructure development will descend into chaos and uncertainty.
The government must reaffirm and uphold its own procedures.
Defective projects should be rectified, not weaponized.
Career engineers should be protected — not treated as criminals for technical issues subject to correction.
The State, together with the DPWH, must return to the rules-based process of allowing contractors to repair and complete defective work in accordance with contract warranties, instead of prematurely turning infrastructure sites into crime scenes and public servants into accused.
Infrastructure development cannot move forward in an environment of fear, confusion, and politicization.
Gone overboard.
If I am to describe the recent tirades of Sen. Imee Marcos and former Comelec commissioner Rowena Guanzon against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding his health condition, I would say it reeks of totally inhumane and un-Filipino characteristics.
Yes, they may be on the opposite side of the political fence but that doesn’t mean they have been bestowed with the right to wish another person ill, given the latter’s health issue.
Guanzon, though a lawyer and seemingly ignorant regarding the medical field, commented that the chief executive’s bout with diverticulitis is life-threatening, prompting Duterte supporters to demand a full disclosure of the president’s health status, knowing fully well that the 1987 Constitution states that if the president is unable to function due to serious illness, they may be replaced or temporarily relieved of power. And this could spell a chance for Vice President Sara Duterte to assume the presidency.
However, a medical doctor, Dr. Adam Smith, was quick to refute Guanzon. He said diverticulitis was not cancer or any form of illness that could be considered life-threatening.
“Hindi ito cancer at hindi ito nakamamatay sa karamihan! Gamot at pahinga lang, okay na,” Smith posted in his social media account.
“Kung ayaw mo sa leader, okay lang. Pero huwag gawing medical misinformation ang argumento,” he added.
A Google check bares the following: “Diverticulitis is the inflammation or infection of small, bulging pouches (diverticula) in the digestive tract, causing sudden, intense lower-left abdominal pain, fever, nausea and changes in bowel habits. It is commonly caused by microscopic tears in these pouches, often triggered by factors like a low-fiber diet, obesity, smoking, and older age. Treatment ranges from bowel rest and antibiotics to hospitalization and surgery for severe cases.”
No life-threatening clause.
Senator Imee, for her part, said her brother got sick because no one is there taking care of the president. “Walang nag-aalaga.”
Is she saying this to merely sow intrigue? Well, as the president of the country, I’m pretty sure the chief executive has his own personal medical staff to look after him. If the good senator is referring to the president’s family, I’m not sure if she is in a position to comment on that as based on the pictures I’ve been saying, she’s no longer part of the regular Sunday lunch of the president’s family as pictures posted online include, aside from the first family, the former first lady Imelda Marcos and the president’s other sister, Irene Marcos-Araneta.
As I’ve said, they may now be on opposite sides of the fence but it is highly taboo in Filipino culture to use a person’s health condition to malign someone, especially if the objective is to advance one’s own personal agenda.
