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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Flood control projects scandal plus fake news can turn away investors--Yamsuan

Flood control projects scandal plus fake news can turn away investors--Yamsuan

Published Sep 12, 2025 02:33 am

At A Glance

  • Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan believes that the flood control projects corruption scandal--when coupled with fake news--can adversely affect investor confidence in the Philippines.
Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan (Rep. Yamsuan's office)
Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan (Rep. Yamsuan's office)


Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan believes that the flood control projects corruption scandal--when coupled with fake news--can adversely affect investor confidence in the Philippines.
Yamsuan put this notion together during a recent briefing of the House Committee on Publoc Information with the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
During the hearing, Yamsuan, a former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) assistant secretary, called for additional funds for the PCO to help the Marcos government win the ‘war’ against fake news.
Being the lead communications agency in the country, the PCO should be at the forefront of correcting the falsehoods and disinformation being spread on social media about the government, as well as in providing the public with accurate information, said Yamsuan.
To underscoring the PCO’s role in fighting fake news, Deputy Majority Leader Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong cited the recent issue involving the media’s misleading reportis about the decision of the South Korean government to allegedly “stop” a loan for the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) bridges project “over corruption concerns".
Some media outlets linked the report to the flood control projects mess, even when it was totally unconnected to the issue.
It later turned out that no such loan existed with the South Korean government, as clarified by the Department of Finance (DOF).
Yamsuan agreed with Adiong that such misleading reports could undermine investor confidence and taint the Philippines’ image before the international community.
The Parañaque solon aired his sentiments on the undertaking against fake news and misinformation.
“This is a war we are having right now with people who have nothing else to do but criticize government, but don’t know what we sacrifice here, and are unaware of the hard work we do to serve our countrymen in our own capacity as government officials,” he said.
PCO Assistant Secretary Jose Maria Villarama II said the office “makes do with the funding” it was given under the national budget. The PCO’s allocation for its digital media initiatives under Malacañang’s National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026 is P16 million.
House members led by the chairman of the panel, Cagayan de Oro 1st district Rep. Lordan Suan joined Yamsuan in supporting the PCO’s initiatives and possible requests for additional allocation under the proposed 2026 budget to enable it to effectively implement its programs.
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