Marcos to contractors: Fix substandard projects at own cost

SUBSTANDARD. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inspects the failed multi-million-peso rock shed and rock netting projects along Kennon Road in Barangay Camp 4 in Tuba, Benguet on Aug. 24, 2025. The President said contractors may be compelled to fix or redo their infrastructure projects once these are proven to be substandard. (PCO Photo)

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday ordered that contractors behind substandard infrastructure, particularly flood control projects, be compelled to redo their work at their own expense.

Speaking at a press briefing in Malacañang, Marcos said government projects have “warranties” which contractors must honor in case of defects.

“Kahit sinabi nilang completed, kapag nadiskubre na hindi tama ang pagkagawa (Even if they claim it is completed, if defects are discovered), they still have to respect, they still have to honor the warranty that they have given us to complete the project properly,” Marcos said.

He said erring contractors will not be let off the hook.

“We can still go back to them at sasabihin natin sa kanila, ‘balikan ninyo iyong walang kuwentang project na ginawa ninyo at ayusin ninyo na maganda, out of your own pocket’ (We can still go back to them and tell them: ‘Redo the substandard project you built and fix it properly, out of your own pocket’),” Marcos stressed

The President also underscored that the focus of the newly created Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) will be on accountability and financial losses.

“Don’t politicize this, it’s simple numbers dito, simple lang ito. Magkano ang ninakaw na pera ng mga balasubas na ito.

(Don’t politicize this, this is just simple numbers. How much money was stolen by these crooks?) That is what we need to know, that is what we need to fix,” he said.

The President also said cases could follow based on the ICI’s findings.

The commission was established following revelations of alleged irregularities in multi-billion-peso flood control projects, which Marcos flagged in his 2025 State of the Nation Address.