Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez is calling for a temporary blacklist of contractors with a history of failed flood control projects, arguing that this is the first real step to holding those who have benefited from public funds without delivering results accountable.
Benitez said on Monday, August 11, that concrete solutions to the country’s flooding problems begin with identifying those who have failed to execute projects intended to protect communities, and reduce the damage caused by heavy rains and typhoons.
“The next step must be to ensure that every peso in our flood mitigation budget is spent on projects that actually protect lives and property — not fill the pockets of the corrupt,” he said in a Facebook post.
He proposed that the government impose an immediate blacklist on any contractor with a history of unfinished, substandard, or grossly delayed flood control projects while a thorough evaluation is conducted.
“This will immediately protect our budget from further waste while emphasizing that incompetence and corruption will have immediate consequences,” Benitez said, adding that contractors who fail the public should not be allowed to profit from the misery of the people.*