Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Brian Poe Llamanzares of FPJ Panday Bayanihan Partylist urged Congress to increase the budget of the Office of the Ombudsman, highlighting its crucial role in ensuring government accountability.
During the budget hearing, Rep. Poe praised the Ombudsman for forming a 13-member panel to support President Marcos’ initiative to investigate flood control projects.
“The Office of the Ombudsman is a very important part of our government when it comes to accountability. I’d like to laud the Office of the Ombudsman on preparing a panel to support the flood control investigation,” Poe said.
Poe emphasized that because the panel was formed only this September, its funding was not included in the proposed 2026 budget.
“That is why, Madam Chair, if we could look into how much they need to show that Congress is supportive of this investigation and supportive of the efforts of our President and the Ombudsman,” he added.
He also raised the importance of pursuing accountability in other major cases, specifically the Pharmally scandal.
“I’m happy to know that we have progress when it comes to Pharmally. Because aside from our flood control issues now, of course, once upon a time, Pharmally was the big case of the day. So let’s show our countrymen that there’s moving progress and accountability when it comes to even old issues of the day,” said Poe.
Committee Chairperson Mikaela Angela Suansing also recognized the Ombudsman’s expanded responsibilities and called for close coordination in identifying budgetary needs.
“You will play such a huge role in making the panel successful and I know that will entail additional work, additional responsibilities on the part of the OMB,” she said.
Suansing wanted to make sure that they are able to factor that in saying: “May panahon pa naman po na mapasok natin ‘yan sa proposal natin for fiscal year 2026. Again, we would need the help of the OMB to help please guide us para malaman natin ano ‘yung mga kailangan natin idagdag.”
“I just want to manifest again my support for the 13-member panel that the Ombudsman is putting together,” Rep. Poe concluded by reaffirming his support for the Ombudsman’s new initiatives.
In August 2025, President Marcos criticized a flood mitigation structure in Bulacan, calling it a “ghost” project due to its visibly unfinished and structurally deficient state, despite its ₱96.49 million budget.
It was learned that in every typhoon and heavy rainfall, most parts of Bulacan end up with 1 up to 4 feet under water and not less than 45 barangays were submerged of flood water.
Despite of billions of pesos in public funds for flood control projects over the years, Central Luzon particularly in Bulacan, flooding has long been a fact of life in the province particularly in the coastal towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy.
It was learned that the province of Bulacan tagged by Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was the most notorious in terms of anomalies in flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Bulacan bagged a total of P43.5 billion worth of flood control contracts since 2021 to 2024.
