COA orders fraud audit into flood control projects in Bulacan
The Commission on Audit has ordered a fraud audit into the Department of Public Works and Highways’ flood control projects in Bulacan in a memorandum dated August 12, 2025.
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has ordered a fraud audit into the billions worth of flood control projects implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the province of Bulacan.
Of the P548 billion worth of flood control initiatives nationwide, the commission pointed out that Central Luzon received the highest funding for the projects at P98 billion. Within the region, Bulacan received the highest amount with P44 billion.
READ: Marcos to contractor: Explain failed rehab of Bulacan river project
“Given the critical issues raised by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. regarding the implementation of these projects, particularly in the Province of Bulacan, a fraud audit is an immediate and unequivocal necessity,” the COA said in an August 12 memorandum signed by its chairperson, Gamaliel Cordoba.
With this, the commission ordered district engineering offices of the DPWH under the COA Central Luzon to submit all relevant documents in their custody to the fraud audit office “immediately” and “ensure” their availability to assist the fraud audit teams at any time.
On August 11, Marcos revealed the top 10 provinces with the highest number of flood control projects, according to the DPWH.
These provinces were: Bulacan (668 projects), Cebu (414), Isabela (341), Pangasinan (313), Pampanga (292);, Albay (273), Leyte (262), Tarlac (258), Camarines Sur (252), and Ilocos Norte (224).
Meanwhile, the most flood-prone areas based on the National Adaptation Plan of the Philippines 2023-2025 were: Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, and Ilocos Norte.
A copy of the COA’s memorandum was released to the media on Sunday after Marcos, along with Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon and Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando, inspected the rehabilitation of a river protection structure in Calumpit, Bulacan, on August 15.
During the inspection, Marcos demanded an explanation from St. Timothy Construction Corp. over the alleged failure to rehabilitate the river-protection structure in Barangay Bulusan.
The President discovered that the structure was incomplete — contrary to what official records indicated — that the P96.4 million project was “completed” in February 2023 based on the sumbongsapangulo.ph website. /das
