Bridges to corruption

It’s been more than a year since the flood control corruption scandal rattled the country, spooked investors and nearly paralyzed the economy.

But here we are again hearing about questionable and overpriced projects. Some are still in Bulacan, ground zero of the flood control scandal.

Let me tell you about three existing bridges which a source said appear to have cost more than they should.

Each bridge is approximately 30 meters long: one at the Kilometer 41 San Jose-Plaridel intersection (Bridge 1), another in Cambaog, Bustos (Bridge 2) and the third in Malamig, Bustos (Bridge 3).

According to the project details, the scope of work involves retrofitting and strengthening at a cost of P18.5 million for two bridges, while the third will cost P16.8 million.

Based on the timetable, work started in August and completion is scheduled for December.

But an on-site inspection of the three bridges shows that they are in decent condition and are passable.

Several visits showed there isn’t a lot of work going on, which is odd for something that needs to be completed by December.

The only “retrofitting” happening is grinding down the surface in worm-like patterns and applying epoxy putty.

“Matitinong nadadaanan yung mga tulay na yun. Ang kahinahinala lang ay parang hindi ko makita kung paano at ano pa ang gagawin nila para umabot sa P16 million to P18.5 million ang halaga ng mga yun!” a source said.

The total cost to retrofit the three bridges is P34.5 million. And yet, the bridges are passable and show no visible signs of an urgent need for an upgrade or modification.

Bridge vs park

In contrast, the local government of Pasig and the MMDA recently inaugurated a new park in the city: the P24.8-million Buting Linear Park in Barangay Buting.

The 485-meter, 3,170-square-meter public space features a children’s playground, a half-basketball court, outdoor exercise equipment, a bike lane, walkways and a restroom.

And yet, the supposed retrofitting of three short bridges costs more.

Could some unscrupulous individuals be making early Christmas money?

Cleaning up the mess

The Marcos administration’s so-called golden boy – a moniker people use for DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon – was appointed to the department supposedly to clean up the mess after the flood control scandal.

Living up to his golden boy image, he’s been inspecting questionable infrastructure projects around Metro Manila and beyond, trailed by journalists with cameras and klieg lights.

I hope he takes a look at these three bridges, too.

But beyond the PR stunts and all those soundbites in front of the camera, Sec. Vince must truly disentangle the web of corruption within the agency.

Contractors claim that the DPWH is now actually no different from before, with the same rotten system perpetuated by new characters, including a new bagman – or is it bagmen?

The 2027 budget

Even the 2027 budget, as I wrote about on Tuesday, has been mangled yet again, with the budget for certain infrastructure projects increasing by P170 billion.

Imagine that – a whopping P170 billion for multi-purpose buildings and local access roads.

Is this the new flood control scheme?

A watchdog group flagged this issue on Monday.

“By our count, they added more than P170 billion for multi-purpose buildings and local access roads and they reduced the funding for foreign assisted projects,” People’s Budget Coalition spokesperson AJ Montesa said in a dzBB Super Radyo interview.

In realigning this amount to fund the said items, the House slashed the funding for foreign-assisted projects involving national roads, railways and the Metro Manila Subway – which are the more important projects.

Plot twist

This is history repeating itself.

The Supreme Court’s recent decision, however, is telling.

The Court ruled that Congress – both the Senate and the House – cannot inflate the budget beyond the executive’s proposed appropriations. It declared that certain provisions of the 2024 and 2025 national budgets, as well as key unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 budget, were “unconstitutional.”

The SC ruled that Congress increased funding beyond the amount recommended by the President, which it said was unconstitutional.

Specifically, the Court declared as unconstitutional Congress’ P449.5-billion increase in unprogrammed appropriations under the 2024 General Appropriations Act.

The SC also struck down the “Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure and Social Programs,” popularly known as SAGIP, which was included in the 2024 and 2025 budgets.

Furthermore, according to The STAR, the SC classified SAGIP as a prohibited lump-sum appropriation that gave the executive “unchecked post-enactment discretion to identify projects and allocate funds.”

According to the report, under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, the Supreme Court also declared the P17.992-billion increase in the programmed line-item appropriation for the Special Road Fund unconstitutional.

Malacañang said the Office of the Solicitor General will appeal the SC’s decision.

One wonders what the implications of the SC’s decision are. Who will be held accountable, and what changes in the budget process will be introduced?

What happens next is still anyone’s guess.

For sure, Filipinos deserve better use of taxpayers’ money.

These include quality and safe infrastructure and certainly not projects that become bridges to corruption, like the three bridges in Bulacan I just flagged.

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]. Follow her on X 
@eyesgonzales. Column archives at EyesWideOpen on FB.