The recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing has peeled back the curtain on a scandal that should outrage every Filipino taxpayer: billions of pesos funneled into so-called "ghost" flood control projects in Bulacan and beyond, allegedly under the watch of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan. The revelations, confirmed by Bonoan himself, expose a festering wound of corruption and mismanagement within the DPWH, raising serious questions about his leadership and fitness to remain in office.

Bonoan’s admission that “in all honesty, I think so” when pressed by Senator Jinggoy Estrada about the existence of ghost projects is a damning confession. These are not mere clerical errors or oversights but deliberate schemes that siphoned off public funds meant to protect communities from devastating floods. In Bulacan alone, projects worth nearly P6 billion, largely awarded to Wawao Builders, are now under scrutiny as potential shams. Nationwide, the contractor secured P9 billion in projects, with 85 in Bulacan flagged as suspicious. This is not a minor infraction—it’s a betrayal of public trust on an industrial scale.
What’s particularly galling is Bonoan’s attempt to deflect responsibility. He points fingers at district offices and unnamed underlings, claiming ongoing validations as if he were a bystander in his own department. As DPWH secretary, Bonoan bears command responsibility. The buck stops with him. If ghost projects proliferated from 2021 to 2022, as he acknowledges, where was his oversight? Why did it take a Senate probe to bring these irregularities to light? His tepid assurances of “people who can testify” and ongoing validations ring hollow when billions have already vanished into thin air.

The public’s demand for Bonoan’s resignation is not knee-jerk outrage—it’s a rational response to a leader who has failed to uphold the integrity of his office. Flood control projects are not abstract budget line items; they are lifelines for communities battered by typhoons and climate change. Every peso misspent is a family left vulnerable, a home submerged, a livelihood destroyed. Bonoan’s inability to prevent or promptly address these alleged ghost projects is not just incompetence—it’s a moral failure.

Some may argue that Bonoan deserves a chance to clean house, that resigning now would disrupt the DPWH’s operations. But this scandal isn’t a one-off; it’s symptomatic of systemic rot that flourished under his watch. Allowing him to remain in office risks further erosion of public confidence and emboldens those who exploit the system for personal gain. Resignation is not just a symbolic gesture—it’s a necessary step to restore accountability and signal that no one, not even a cabinet secretary, is above scrutiny.

The Filipino people deserve better than a DPWH mired in scandal and excuses. Secretary Bonoan, your admission of ghost projects is a start, but it’s not enough. Step down. Let someone with the resolve to root out corruption and deliver real results take the helm. Shame on you for letting it come to this.

(TAMBULI NG BAYAN-Ronnie Estrada) #BagongPilipinas #DPWH #SecManuelBonoan #symsconstruction #wawaobuilders #Senado