Senate President Francis Escudero on Tuesday acknowledged receiving a ₱30 million campaign donation in 2022 from Centerways Construction, one of the firms awarded a large portion of the government’s flood control budget. However, he firmly denied any involvement in helping the company win government contracts.
Escudero’s clarification came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flagged that 15 contractors—Centerways among them—received around ₱100 billion in flood mitigation projects, nearly one-fifth of the ₱545-billion allocation from July 2022 to May 2025.
In a press briefing, Escudero admitted the campaign donation came from the firm’s owner, whom he described as a longtime friend from Sorsogon. “He has long been my friend and acquaintance, and he has genuinely helped us—even long before this became an issue,” Escudero said in Filipino.
Despite their personal connection, the Senate President insisted he had no business ties to the company and did not influence its procurement of projects. “I am not part of his business,” he stressed. “That’s the same innuendo and insinuation that’s always being attached and said just because someone contributed or gave.”
When asked if the firm benefited from his influence as senator, Escudero responded that Centerways actually landed larger contracts during the time he was not in office. “The bigger amount he got was when I wasn’t here,” he added.
Escudero called on the public and media to shift the spotlight toward government officials who are actual contractors themselves. “Why don’t we look instead at which lawmakers and government officials are actual contractors and owners of companies that secured government contracts?” he said.
