Garbin, Tiangco square off over requests in 2025 budget

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin and Navotas Rep.Tobias Tiangco traded accusations of pushing for the inclusion of budget items in the 2025 national budget.

Garbin alleged that at least half of the P529 million allocation for flood control projects that Navotas got under the 2025 national budget were contracted out to St. Timothy and SYMS Trading Construction.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has named both firms as among the top 15 contractors of over P500 billion worth of government flood control projects, which are not necessarily located in flood-prone areas.

“Why attack others when contractors in your own district are being investigated for ghost projects?” Garbin said in a statement. 

Garbin was referring to Tiangco’s claim that Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co and BHW party-list Rep. Natasha Co. requested over P13 billion budget for infrastructure projects in the 2025 national budget.

He said the DPWH even wrote to Tiangco seeking assistance in implementing the St. Timothy flood control repairs. This move, Garbin said, was an indication that “funds for these were not only approved but released.”

“When you speak of transparency, start with your own backyard,” Garbin said.

Tiangco, in response, said his budget request for Navotas flood control projects is all above board because Navotas lies downstream of the Tullahan River and is below sea level during high tide.

“Therefore, flooding is really the number one issue [in our place] that needs to be addressed. Napaka-importante ng flood control projects dahil apektado ng baha ang maraming aspeto ng buhay—kaligtasan, kalusugan, kabuhayan, edukasyon, at negosyo,” he said. 

“Openly naman po natin sinasabi sa ating mga kababayan na hihingan natin ng pondo sa national government ang flood control projects. Hindi po ito sekreto. Pero dahil limitado rin ang pondo ng National Government, taon-taon ay partial ang pagpopondo kaya phase by phase ang pag-release ng budget,” he added.

(I am open to the fact that I ask for funds from the national government for the flood control projects. This is no secret. But due to limited funds, the government can only partially fund it, phase by phase.)

Tiangco then said that the Cos and the Ako Bicol camp should explain why they made such billions worth of budget requests.

“For them to identify projects worth that amount,  they should explain why they made such a request for other districts where the district representative is unaware.  What is wrong with explaining it?” Tiangco said in a separate Super Radyo dzBB interview.

Asked if these budget requests from the Cos and the Ako Bicol were granted, Tiangco said these did not push through.

“Nung nahuli ito, hindi na narelease itong pondong ito. Ito iyong mga naagapan. Na hold na,” Tiangco said.

(These budget items were not released; it was nipped in the bud. The release was held off.) —LDF, GMA Integrated News