A flood control project intended to remedy the issue, like so many identified in recent weeks, has never been finished.
“The dike is incomplete, so the water washes in. Even in the built-up sections, the water still gets through from underneath because the pilings are shallow,” Francisco said.
In nearby Plaridel, AFP saw a pair of masons bathing themselves near a half-built dike with exposed metal rods.
The taxpayer money paid for the dike “was clearly stolen”, Public Works Minister Vince Dizon said after visiting the site.
He called it an obvious “ghost project” and said he had fired the district’s chief engineer and two others.
“THE DIKE IS WORTHLESS”
Anger has been growing over so-called ghost infrastructure since President Ferdinand Marcos put the issue centre-stage in a state of the union address after weeks of deadly flooding.
Greenpeace estimates some US$17.6 billion in funds may have been bilked from climate-related projects since 2023, much of it meant for communities that are slowly sinking due to groundwater over-extraction and rising sea levels.
Marcos himself has visited sites caught up in the scandal and slammed the poor quality of the dike in the village of Frances.
“You can crush the cement mix used with your bare hands. They short-changed the cement,” he said, pledging to hold those responsible to account.
Residents said they were pleased to see Marcos but were “waiting for him to deliver”.
“The dike is worthless. It’s full of holes,” said Nelia de los Reyes Bernal, a health worker.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/philippines-ghost-flood-projects-corruption-protests-probe-5357696
