Marcos keeps trust in DPWH chief amid flood project probe

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. continues to back Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan despite corruption allegations tied to the agency’s multi-billion-peso flood control projects, Malacañang confirmed Wednesday.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President’s trust in Bonoan “remains,” even as the Palace orders an extensive probe into the projects.

She stressed that the DPWH will not handle the investigation but will provide all records requested by the Regional Project Monitoring Committees, with the Department of Economy, Planning and Development as the oversight body.

“Even if they are close to his heart or a friend, the President will not spare anyone. Those who must be held accountable will be held accountable,” Castro said, adding that Marcos himself will name any officials found guilty once the inquiry is completed.

Bonoan, for his part, has deployed special teams to inspect flood control projects linked to 15 contractors that cornered roughly P100 billion—or 20%—of the P545-billion budget for flood mitigation. He said the review will determine if the projects were completed as contracted, are still ongoing, or exist at all.

“We will verify on-site the real status of these projects,” Bonoan said, underscoring the need to match contract records with actual field conditions. TRACY CABRERA