President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has issued a strong warning to those responsible for the failed flood control projects in the country, saying that “somebody has to answer for the suffering” of the Filipino people.
In the BBM Podcast Episode 3, which aired on Monday, President Marcos revealed that his decision to publicly confront the issue during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) stemmed from witnessing the devastation caused by substandard or faulty flood control projects in light of recent typhoons.
“It started last December, noong umiikot ako dahil nga sunod-sunod ‘yung bagyo at nakikita natin kung talagang napakabigat ng ulan. Noong nangyari na naman itong bagyo ngayon, pagpunta ko, nakita ko hindi nagagawa. Akala ko ba mayroon tayong nilagay dito? Hindi pa naumpisahan’ or whatever, the usual excuses,” President Marcos recounted.
“Sabi ko kalokohan na ito. Maliwanag na hindi ginagawa ang trabaho.”
The President described the heartbreaking scenes in evacuation centers where families are crammed into gyms, children sleep on bare concrete, and the sick and elderly are exposed to extreme heat and risk of diseases.
“Hindi natin ginagawa dapat ito sa kababayan natin. Kasalanan na ito,” President Marcos stressed.
When pressed on who should be held responsible, President Marcos did not mention names but noted that some are already “notorious” in the fraudulent scheme.
“Mayroong dapat naman managot dahil sa dinadaanan na hirap, na dinadanas ng ating mga kababayan. They have to be told who is responsible and somebody has to answer for their suffering,” the President said.
President Marcos assured that no one would be spared from scrutiny, even if they were allies of the administration.
“Sorry na lang. Hindi na kita kaalyado kung ganyan ang ginagawa mo. Ayaw na kitang kaalyado,” the President said.
During his SONA last July 28, President Marcos drew the most resounding applause as he denounced corruption in flood control projects, citing several schemes such as “kickbacks, errata, SOP, for the boys.” | PND
