Malacañang yesterday denied allegations the Aquino administration canceled 19 projects meant to mitigate flooding and which Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez wanted the House of Representatives to investigate.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the administration, particularly President Aquino, could not be blamed for the massive flooding that was caused by typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” last week.
Suarez urged a congressional investigation over allegations that the President canceled several urgent flood control projects that could have prevented or minimized flooding in Central Luzon.
Suarez said the 19 projects that were stopped had approved negotiated contracts which were started after typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” had flooded Metro Manila and nearby provinces in 2009.
The total cost of the projects was P934.1 million, and were part of the 139 projects or 42 contract packages funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan for the urgent rehabilitation of flood control facilities costing P1.9 billion, Suarez said.
According to Suarez, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson himself confirmed the cancellation of the projects in a press release of the department on July 28, 2010.
Because of this, the House of Representatives is set to investigate the revocation of the projects and look into the “effects of the cancellation of the post Ondoy and Pepeng short-term infrastructure rehabilitation projects (POPSTRIP) on the flood control program of the government,” Suarez said.
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