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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Bulacan of Mindanao?': Ridon tags Davao Occidental as epicenter of 'ghost' projects

'Bulacan of Mindanao?': Ridon tags Davao Occidental as epicenter of 'ghost' projects

Published Nov 11, 2025 06:01 pm

At A Glance

  • Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon highlighted on Tuesday, Nov. 11 several questionable flood mitigation projects in the Davao region, even as he identified one particular province there as the epicenter of so-called "ghost" projects in Mindanao.
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon highlighted on Tuesday, Nov. 11 several questionable flood mitigation projects in the Davao region, even as he identified one particular province there as the epicenter of so-called "ghost" projects in Mindanao.
In a press conference, Ridon, chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, defended the Independent Commission for Infrastructure's (ICI) earlier decision inspect flood control projects in Davao City.
This, following the criticism of some sectors that the ICI's moves have been marred by "politics".
Ridon, in the presser, presented some 20 slides of "problematic" flood control projects from Davao City and Davao Occidental. The slides showed geotagged photos to show their exact locations, and actual photos to show their current state.
The lawyer-solon categorized these projects as incomplete, poorly situated, and unconstructed.
"There's every reason for the ICI to basically go into Davo City, to go into Davao Occidental dahil nakita ho talaga natin dito na hindi ho totoo na lahat po ng mga proyekto ay kumpleto, na lahat po ng mga proyekto ay walang problema (because we've really seen here that it’s not true that all the projects are complete, that all the projects are problem-free)," he said.
"To be very clear, this involves not just one district; this involves all the districts within Davao City. It also involves Davao Occidental which is, I think, what we can call the epicenter of ghost projects in Mindanao island," Ridon said.
"Kung nakita ho natin na yung Bulacan seems to be the epicenter of ghost projects within Luzon, parang sa Davao Occidental po natin makikita yun (If Bulacan is the epicenter of ghost projects within Luzon, the Davao Occidental is Mindanao's equivalent)," he noted.
Ridon listed three projects from Davao Occidental that met at least one of the three categories.
These are the construction of flood control structures in Barangay Kinangan, Malita, Davao Occidental; and in Barangay Little Baguio, also in Malita. He also flagged the construction of concrete revetment, Barangay Pinalpalan, again in Malita.
"Kaya nga ho mahalagang mahalaga yung unang pagpunta ng ICI team nina general [Rodolfo] Azurin nung nakaraan to Davao City para makita ho talaga isa-isa yung lahat po ng mga proyekto na dapat pong siyasatin at magkaroon ng actual na paglilinaw kung mayroon bang dapat mapanagot sa mga nakita nating incomplete, poorly situated, unconstructed projects po na ito," Ridon said.
(That’s why the initial visit of the ICI team led by General [Rodolfo] Azurin to Davao City was extremely important, it was to thoroughly inspect each of the projects that need to be investigated and to obtain a concrete clarification on whether someone should be held accountable for the incomplete, poorly situated, and unconstructed projects we have found.)
Ridon say his panel will coordinate with the ICI so the latter may include the flagged Davao projects in its next inspections.
"Mahalagang maisama po ito, madagdag po yung listahan na ito doon po sa mapupuntahan at site visit po ng ICI (It's important for this list to be included in ICI's future site visits)," he said.
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