MANILA—President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered an investigation into the rehabilitation of the river protection structure in Barangay Bulusan, Calumpit, Bulacan, after discovering deficiencies despite official reports declaring the project completed.

During his inspection on Friday, the President urged residents, local officials, and the media to continue reporting irregularities in government projects to ensure prompt action.

“O sige magreport kayo. Paulit-ulit ‘yung report niyo. Report n’yo sa akin, report n’yo kay Gov, report niyo kay Cong. Lahat ng reportan ninyo, para alam namin. Pati sa press report ninyo para alam namin lahat,” Marcos said.

“Dahil hindi puwedeng ganito, pambihira. This has been going on for years,” he added.

The inspection revealed that portions of the dike were unfinished, concrete works were substandard, and silt had accumulated along the riverbanks, raising concerns about the project’s quality and oversight.

President Marcos said the contractor, St. Timothy Construction, must explain why the structure failed to meet specifications and why parts of the project appeared abandoned.

The Chief Executive emphasized that accountability will be demanded from both the contractor and the government officials who approved the project, noting that defects waste public funds and endanger communities.

“Lahat ng kasama doon… itra-trace natin saan nanggaling itong mga programang ito, saan napunta ang pondo, bakit ganito ang nangyari at sino ang pumirma na sinabi okay lahat,” Marcos said.