Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso has revealed that over ₱14 billion worth of flood control projects implemented between 2022 and 2025 were carried out without securing the necessary permits from the city government.
In a press conference, Moreno expressed frustration over the persistent flooding across Manila despite the massive funding allocated for flood mitigation. He said many of these projects have already been completed but failed to address the city’s long-standing flooding issues.
“All of these projects have no permits in the city. Yes, we are investigating them, and they are also being reviewed by the Office of the President,” Moreno said, emphasizing that the city continues to suffer from flooding despite the billions spent.
He also broke down the reported budget allocations per district based on data from the Sumbong sa Pangulo (Report to the President) website: ₱3.4 billion in District I, ₱2.05 billion in District II, ₱4.2 billion in District III, ₱1.3 billion in District IV, ₱1.16 billion in District V, and ₱2 billion in District VI. Moreno noted that the data might still be incomplete, but the local government is already conducting a comprehensive review of the listed projects.
The mayor further disclosed that there are 112 ongoing projects in the city without permits, regulatory fees, or contractors’ taxes. He warned that the city will pursue legal action against non-compliant contractors. “There are a little over a hundred contractors handling infrastructure projects from the national government. Of course, we’ll go after them… unless they comply with the Local Government Code, the National Building Code, and other ordinances and laws of the City of Manila,” Moreno said.
In a separate briefing, Moreno revealed that 305 flood control projects owe ₱247 million in unpaid contractors’ taxes. He stressed that while the local government welcomes infrastructure development, contractors must meet their obligations to operate legally. “They should learn their lesson very well,” Moreno.
