NAVOTAS Rep. Tobias Tiangco on Tuesday revealed that party-lists affiliated with former Appropriations Committee chairman Elizaldy Co received more than P4 billion worth of allocations from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as well as P13 billion under his name.

Tiangco’s allegation comes as the House of Representatives begins its investigation into corruption in the flood control programs of the DPWH.

It also comes as Finance Secretary Ralph Recto told a Senate budget hearing that corruption in government infrastructure projects has resulted in losses of over P100 billion since 2023 and slowed economic growth.

House hearing

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the House hearing Tuesday, Tiangco itemized the allocations that went to Co and his affiliated party-list groups.

“Over P2.295 billion (for) Ako Bicol, P2.064 [billion] for BHW (Barangay Health Workers) Party-list and P13 billion under Zaldy Co aside from the two that they requested,” Tiangco told reporters in a chance interview on the sidelines of the infrastructure tri-committee hearing on Tuesday.

The Manila Times tried to get a comment from Co and former BHW Party-list representative Angelica Co but has yet to receive a reply.

Co is a current representative of Ako Bicol Party-list, while his niece Angelica Natasha Co represented the BHW Party-list.

Elizaldy Co has also been identified as the owner of Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., one of the 15 contractors that have cornered 18 percent or P100 billion of flood control projects in the past three years.

Tiangco added that Co was the “requestor” of these projects, which were coursed through the DPWH.

“Other congressmen told me ‘I don’t know what happened to my district?’ But Co requested at least P2 billion that went to his district,” Tiangco said.

Tiangco said these projects requested by Co were earmarked “For Later Release.”

He said he wants Co and his allies to first deny the allegations raised by him before he can release a so-called USB thumb drive which contains his evidence.

Tiangco also said that it would be improper for lawmakers to hold an investigation over flood control if they cannot compel a fellow lawmaker such as Co to testify.

“How can you investigate him if you won’t make him a resource person?” Tiangco said.

During the hearing, Tiangco asked resigned Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan if he knew about the insertions of lawmakers in the 2025 budget, which Bonoan denied.

“So who knew about these insertions?” Tiangco said in Filipino. “I don’t believe that the [former] Committee on Appropriations chairman did not know. That’s why we should call congressman Zaldy Co. Now if he can’t be a resource person and answer questions under oath, does that mean the congressman is exempted from the investigation? What about their claim that there won’t be any sacred cows?”

P100 billion lost to corruption

At the Senate, Recto said corruption in government infrastructure projects has slowed economic growth and resulted in losses of over P100 billion since 2023.

“It’s possible that our growth would have increased by 6 percent if there was no corruption,” Recto told reporters at the sidelines of the budget hearing at the Senate.

“Well, last year we grew by 5.7 percent. Then the year before was what? 5.6 percent? We could have grown faster if there was no corruption, right?” he added.

During the hearing, Recto said the average economic losses from the DPWH flood control projects between 2023 and this year ranged from P42.3 billion to P118.5 billion.

He also stressed that the misuse of funds could have deprived the economy of as many as 95,000 to 266,000 jobs.

“We just learned that this is the extent of the problem in flood control. So maybe if that money was spent better, we could have grown better,” Recto said.

Rep. Tiangco reveals P17B flood control allocations linked to former appropriations chairman Rep. Zaldy Co, This news data comes from:http://www.yamato-syokunin.com

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.6 percent in 2023. It remained on the same level last year. Both were below the 6.0 to 8.0 target of the government.

This year the government trimmed the growth target to 5.5 to 6.5 percent due to internal and external challenges.

“Raising revenues is no joke. And then you’ll just see that these don’t go to the right projects and for the welfare of the people, with some even turning out to be ghost projects,” Recto said.

Revenues are expected to hit P4.52 trillion this year, according to the Development Budget and Coordination Committee projections, equivalent to 15.9 percent of gross domestic product.

Recto said that they are on course to meet their fiscal program for the year, having already achieved half of their targets.

As of the first seven months of the year, revenues were recorded at P2.73 trillion, 4.82 percent higher than the P2.61 trillion in the same period last year.

“Good spending is the best way to encourage tax compliance. People are naturally resistant to taxes. But their tax obedience can be won if they will see how the taxes they paid are spent for the right things, at the right price, by the right agency, at the right time,” Recto said.