Malacañang on Wednesday defended the Marcos administration’s response to flooding, citing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to address severe flooding in Davao City and the need to verify 13,970 flood control projects reported completed during the previous administration.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Marcos had ordered Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to immediately address the flooding in Davao City, where a flood control project reportedly started in 2019 remained unfinished and no dredging had been undertaken for 10 years.

“Doon po sa lubog na ang bansa sa baha, totoo naman po, kitang-kita po natin ito sa Davao City (Regarding the country being submerged in floods, that is indeed true, we can clearly see it in Davao City),” Castro said in a Palace briefing.

“Kaya nga po nagpabigay na agad ng utos ang Pangulo kay (Public Works) Secretary Vince Dizon na ayusin ang pagbabaha, malalang pagbabaha sa Davao City (That is why the President immediately ordered Secretary Vince Dizon to address the severe flooding in Davao City).”

Davao City is the political bailiwick of the Duterte family, where former president Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte both served as mayor for years.

Castro also cited the reported 13,970 flood control projects completed as of March 2022 during the Duterte administration.

She said the Palace wants the DPWH to verify whether the projects exist and were properly completed, stressing that the review is not an accusation of wrongdoing but is necessary to determine how public funds were used.

“Kung mayroon dapat managot dito sa mga proyektong ito, dahil inamin naman ni dating pangulong Duterte na may ghost projects sa panahon niya, dapat din natin malaman (If someone should be held accountable for these projects, given that former president Duterte had admitted there were ghost projects during his administration, we should also find that out),” she said.

Castro was responding to Vice President Duterte’s criticism that the country was “submerged” in floods and poverty while the administration focused on her impeachment and allegedly sought ways to remain in power.

She rejected the Vice President’s claim that the impeachment proceedings violate the Constitution, saying the process is expressly provided for under the fundamental law.

“Kung may kasalanan dapat na mahatulan (If there is wrongdoing, the person responsible should be held accountable),” Castro said. (PNA)