President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. emphasized on Monday, August 4 that his administration will not spare anyone, even close allies, if evidence links them to anomalies that hamper government infrastructure efforts and aggravate the sufferings of Filipino citizens.
“Sorry na lang. Hindi na kita kaalyado,” Marcos said on his podcast.
Marcos recalled how his visits to disaster-hit areas since December 2024 exposed him to the reality that many of the promised flood control projects remained unfinished or non-existent.
“Nung nangyari na naman itong bagyo ngayon, pagpunta ko, nakita ko hindi nagagawa. Akala ko ba meron tayong nilagay dito? Hindi pa naumpisa, whatever, the usual excuses. Sabi ko, kanukuhan ito. Malinaw na hindi ginagawa ng tao,” Marcos recounted.
Marcos described the scenes inside evacuation centers as families packed together, children sleeping on concrete floors, and the threat of disease outbreaks, calling such conditions “unacceptable” and “a result of negligence.”
“Hindi natin ginagawa dapat ito sa kababayan natin. Kasalanan ito.”
When asked to identify those allegedly responsible, Marcos said that public officials
“They know who they are. Meron naman dyan talagang mga notorious, matagal nang ganito ang ginagawa," he said.
“I'm sorry, but they will have to account for their actions and they will have to account for the expenditures that they have made na hindi natin nakikita kung ano yung naging resulta,” the president added.
Marcos said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will not lead the audit, citing the need for transparency and public participation.
He also revealed that several contractors have already been identified for poor performance and will be blacklisted from future government contracts.
“Pag hindi sila makapag-explain na mabuti, we will have to take it to the next step,” he noted.
He expressed deep concern over the removal of funding from vital foreign-assisted projects and warned that public funds are being lost to politically motivated insertions.
“Nangungutang tayo para mangurakot ang mga ito. Sobra na ‘yun,” Marcos emphasized.
It can be recalled that on his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to submit a list of all flood control projects from the last three years.
He also stated that the list will be made publicly and any individual found to have mishandled government projects will face legal consequences.
