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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider COA to prioritize performance audit on all flood control projects

COA to prioritize performance audit on all flood control projects

Published Sep 1, 2025 02:58 pm
The Commission on Audit (COA) has ordered all its field auditors to prioritize the audit of all flood control projects in the country under its Flood Risk Management and Resiliency Program (FRMRP).
Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba sent a letter to Director Michael L. Racelis of the Performance Audit Office to immediately start the performance audit.
Cordova said in his letter: "Pursuant to COA Resolution No. 2024-018 dated Dec. 16, 2024, which adopted the 2024-2026 Performance Audit Portfolio (PAP) of that Office that includes the above-mentioned project, you are directed to prioritize and immediately conduct a performance audit on flood control projects, and submit a report thereon upon completion.”
The resolution Cordoba mentioned in his letter pertains to the "Adoption of the 2024-2026 PAP."
The resolution stated that the COA was vested "the exclusive authority to define the scope of its audit and examination, establish the techniques and methods required therefor, and promulgate accounting and auditing rules and regulations, including those for the prevention and disallowance of irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant, or unconscionable expenditures or uses of government funds and properties."
Cordova earlier zeroed in on the projects implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bulacan.
In a letter issued to Director Flora M. Ruiz of the COA’s Technical Services Office dated Aug. 20, Cordoba instructed told her to "designate technical personnel for the immediate conduct of technical inspections of all ongoing and completed flood control projects for Jan. 1, 2022 to July 31, 2025 in the province of Bulacan."
"The inspections should prioritize projects based on contract cost starting with the highest-valued projects," he said.
Earlier, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla had said that the lawyer of a potential whistleblower, a contractor, has reached out to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the possibility of helping investigators run after those involved in anomalous floor control projects of the government.
“I have been approached by a lawyer representing a potential whistleblower,” Remulla said.
Remulla noted that the lawyer, whose name was not disclosed, represents one of the 15 contractors named by President Marcos as may be involved in anomalous flood control projects.
He said the lawyer “has given me an idea of what happened in the projects in Central Luzon, projects worth P5 billion ghost projects.”
With this development, Remulla urged more potential whistleblowers to approach the DOJ and help the government hold accountable those involved in the mess.
“We have a witness protection program, and they can actually go to the DOJ for this,” he assured them.
President Marcos launched an investigation into anomalous flood control projects that have reached billions of pesos following recent floodings in various parts of the country.
Fifteen contractors were named as recipients of 20 percent of the P545-billion flood control projects in the country.
Published reports stated that the President named the contractors as Legacy Construction Corporation, Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp., St. Timothy Construction Corporation, QM Builders, EGB Construction Corporation, Topnotch Catalyst Builders, Inc., Centerways Construction and Development, Inc., Sunwest, Inc., Hi-Tone Construction & Development Corp., Triple 8 Construction & Supply, Inc., Royal Crown Monarch Construction & Supplies Corp., Wawao Builders, MG Samidan Construction, L.R. Tiqui Builders, Inc., and Road Edge Trading & Development Services.
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