President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lashed out at St. Timothy Construction Corp., a Discaya-linked contractor, for what he described as “ghost projects” after discovering incomplete and substandard flood control structures in Bulacan.
During an inspection, Marcos visited the River Protection Structure in Barangay Bulusan and the Flood Mitigation Structure in Barangay Frances—both awarded to St. Timothy, one of the country’s top-earning flood control contractors. Instead of completed defenses, he was met with a near-overflowing river, unfinished 200-meter dikes, and glaring gaps in the supposed protection walls.
“Pambihira naman!” Marcos exclaimed in frustration. He pointed out that documents marked the projects as completed, yet on the ground, there was no functioning system to protect residents. “Parang ghost project,” he said, stressing that the firm must be held accountable.
The President revealed that divers inspected the structure’s base and discovered dangerously thin cement layers, raising fears that the walls could collapse under pressure. “What possible excuse do they have for not doing this?” Marcos asked.
The River Protection Structure alone had a reported cost of P96.49 million and was declared finished in February 2023, based on official records. Marcos urged the public to keep using the government’s flood control monitoring website, which tracks contractors and their projects.
The Discaya family’s firms have faced mounting criticism. Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto earlier called them out after defeating Sara Discaya in the 2025 elections, while Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas also questioned their performance.
Marcos vowed to continue inspecting projects and compel contractors to explain the poor state of vital flood defenses, warning that negligence in such critical works directly endangers communities.
