ILOILO — Three Iloilo lawmakers closed ranks to categorically deny allegations of “ghost” or nonexistent projects such as flood control in their districts, asserting that every infrastructure funded under their watch exists, is verifiable, and underwent standard government procedures.
The denial came after the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) reported substantial allocable funds for the province’s congressional districts from 2023 to 2025, prompting public scrutiny of flood control spending.
Cong. Lorenz Defensor, whose 3rd District received P4.04 billion in allocable funds during the period, said he had long opened his district’s project list to any agency or individual wishing to inspect.
“Damo sang flood control projects sa 3rd District sang Iloilo kag ginbuksan ko ang DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), kon sin-o man ang gusto maglantaw kag mag-imbestiga kay may salig ako nga wala sang ghost project, flood control sa 3rd District. Wala sang substandard,” he said.
Defensor stressed that all flood control projects implemented in his district originated from requests of barangay officials and mayors who best understood their local needs.
He added that the DPWH verifies and validates each proposed site.
“Nagasugod ina sa coordination with the LGU (local government unit), proper implementation sang DPWH kag gusto ko nga ang pundo sang 3rd District bukas sa bisan ano nga inquiry kag imbestigasyon,” Defensor added.
For 2025, most 3rd District projects are located in Pototan, Calinog, Cabatuan, and Maasin. Defensor said he is also preparing an environmental clearance-dependent flood control and restoration initiative in the Maasin Watershed, guided by the architect behind the Iloilo Esplanade.
He further noted that for 2026, in keeping with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to put flood control projects on hold, he realigned P149 million from such works into new Women and Children’s and Pediatric buildings at the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan.
Cong. Ferjenel Biron, whose 4th District received P3.85 billion in allocable funds from 2023 to 2025, also issued a formal clarification following the PCIJ report.
“I wish to clarify that the P1.38 billion allocated for our district in the 2025 General Appropriations Act is not an insertion. This amount forms part of the regular allocation…” Biron said.
He emphasized that a significant portion of the funds supports priority local infrastructure, including flood mitigation structures.
According to the DPWH’s validation of 4th district projects, “there are no substandard and no ghost projects,” Biron stressed.
“Since I became a congressman, there have been no ghost projects in my district… Padayon ang aton pagpanikasog nga mangin matinlo kag responsable sa paggamit sang pondo sang pumuluyo,” he said, urging the public to guard against misinformation.
Cong. Janette Garin, on the other hand, cited the DPWH–Iloilo 1st District Engineering Office’s certification clearing her 1st District of alleged phantom projects flagged on the government’s “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website.
In a letter to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, DPWH Construction Section chief Engr. Carlo John Leysa stated: “It is hereby emphasized that all of the above-mentioned projects have been duly completed in accordance with their respective contracts… these projects are not ghost projects.”
The website listed 11 projects in the 1st District as allegedly ghost, defective, or unfinished — including shoreline protection and flood control structures in Oton, Guimbal, Tigbauan, and Miag-ao — but Leysa maintained that all had been fully completed per contract specifications.
Panay News sought comment from former 2nd District congressman Michael Gorriceta and former 5th District congressman Raul Tupas, whose districts reportedly received P3.37 billion and P4.32 billion in allocable funds respectively, but both had yet to respond as of press time./PN
