Baliwag city hall: 'Ghost' flood control project did not coordinate with us

The local government of Baliwag, Bulacan on Thursday said the supposed ''ghost'' flood control project in Barangay Piel was not coordinated with city hall.

''Ang proyektong ito ay hindi dumaan sa Pamahalaang Lungsod, at wala ring kaukulang dokumentong isinumite sa City Engineering Office, maging ang koordinasyon o pakikipag-ugnayan sa alinmang tanggapan ng LGU,'' Baliwag City PIO said in a Facebook post, referring to the reinforced concrete riverwall project in Purok 4.

(This project did not pass through with the city government, and no corresponding documents were submitted to the City Engineering Office, nor coordination or communication with any office in the LGU.) 

''Gaya ng Pangulo, mariin din naming tinututulan at kinokondena ang anumang ‘panlolokong proyekto’, lalo na’t malaking pondo ng bayan ang nasayang at inabuso rito,'' it added. 

(Similar to the President, we stress that we are against and condemn all ‘ghost projects’, especially when substantial government funds were wasted or abused in connection with this.)

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. personally inspected the supposed flood control project, and he was very angry when he learned that it was never completed despite records stating otherwise. 

Marcos said the SYMS Construction Trading, the firm involved in this project, would be blacklisted from the government's roster of contractors.

The local government, meanwhile, ensured that it would strengthen its coordination with concerned national agencies as regards any projects being implemented in the locality. 

''Sinisiguro ng Pamahalaang Lungsod na mas paiigtingin pa natin ang pakikipag ugnayan sa mga ahensya ng pambansang pamahalaan sa anumang proyekto na isasagawa sa ating lungsod, upang agad na matukoy at maaksyunan ang mga kahina-hinalang proyekto, bago pa man masayang ang pondo ng bayan,'' it said.

(The city government assures that we will strengthen the coordination with national agencies in whatever project that would be undertaken in our city, in order to identify and take action anomalous projects, even before taxpayer’s money is wasted.)

The Baliwag City PIO also guaranteed that it would fully support the President with his aim of holding accountable those involved in anomalous flood control projects.

''Buong suporta ang Pamahalaang Lungsod sa hangarin ni Pangulong BBM na palabasin ang katotohanan sa mga ma-anomalyang proyekto ng gobyerno hanggang mapanagot ang mga opisyal na may sala,'' it said. 

(The city government fully supports the efforts of  President Marcos to uncover the truth of these anomalous government projects in order to bring the erring officials to justice.) — Anna Felicia Bajo/RF, GMA Integrated News