DepEd undersecretary linked to flood control scandal resigns
MANILA, Philippines — Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar, who was accused of receiving kickbacks from billions of pesos in flood control projects, has formally submitted his resignation to Malacañang.
"We confirm that Undersecretary Trygve Olaivar has formally submitted his resignation to the Palace," Department of Education's Chief Media Relations Officer Dennis Legaspi said in a statement on Tuesday, November 18.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said at a briefing that Olaivar personally handed his resignation yesterday. Castro said she did not know whether President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had read the resignation letter, but confirmed it was sent to the Palace.
Olaivar was named during a Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing in September by former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, who accused him of receiving a 15% "commitment" from P2.85 billion worth of projects funded through unprogrammed appropriations of the Office of the Executive Secretary.
Bernardo testified that Olaivar called him in 2024 with a list of projects and that he would deliver the kickbacks to the undersecretary. The projects were mostly in flood control, while there were also road maintenance projects in Bulacan.
Senators at the hearing questioned why an education undersecretary would have a role in requesting DPWH projects. Bernardo said that before his stint with DepEd, Olaivar had worked for the offices of former senator Bong Revilla and then-senator Sonny Angara, who is now education secretary.
Following Bernardo's testimony in September, Angara announced that Olaivar had gone on voluntary leave of absence "to allow due process to take its course without distraction to the Department." — with reports by Jean Mangaluz
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