The infrastructure firm based by not too long ago resigned Ako Bicol congressman Zaldy Co has discovered good enterprise not simply in Bicol area, his house turf, however in Jap Visayas as properly, the bailiwick of his shut ally and former Home speaker Martin Romualdez, Rappler’s analysis has discovered.
Particularly, Sunwest Integrated bagged greater than P6 billion in Division of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) contracts in Leyte province — all in localities represented by Romualdez, the first district.
This consists of 21 tasks price a mixed P5.4 billion since fiscal 12 months 2020.
It coincided with the time Martin Romualdez returned to Congress and have become Home majority chief in 2019, till he turned speaker of the Home in 2022.
It was additionally the identical time Co turned a first-term congressman in 2019, and subsequently head of the highly effective Home appropriations committee underneath the Romualdez-led Home.
“I categorically state that I had no function in endorsing, influencing, or awarding these contracts. Procurement is the unique mandate of DPWH and its bids and awards committee, strictly ruled by RA 9184 (Authorities Procurement Reform Act). All tasks are posted on PhilGEPS for open and aggressive bidding,” Romualdez mentioned in response to Rappler’s request for remark.
“Whilst speaker, I didn’t sit within the small committee or the bicameral convention committee that deal with funds amendments. These features will not be throughout the Speaker’s function,” he added.
The place the tasks are
Leyte’s 1st District has been represented uninterrupted by the Romualdezes since 2007.
Martin represented the district from 2007 to 2016, and once more from 2019 to current day. His spouse Yedda succeeded him for one time period in 2016, when he was term-limited and mounted a failed senatorial marketing campaign.
At present, the district consists of Tacloban Metropolis, and the cities of Alangalang, Babatngon, Palo, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Tanauan, and Tolosa.
Rappler’s evaluation confirmed that out of the 24 tasks awarded to the district, 12 are in Tanauan, 5 in Tacloban Metropolis, three in Alangalang, two in Palo, and two in Tolosa.
Three of the 24 tasks that should mitigate floods have a mixed contract price of P2.8 billion. These contain building of the next:
- a causeway in Tacloban price P1.2 billion
- one other causeway additionally in Tacloban price P511.89 million
- a storm surge safety/tide embankment construction in Tanauan to Tacloban price P1.06 billion
It’s attention-grabbing to notice that completion of those tasks has been delayed. Based mostly on the DPWH tracker, these infrastructures ought to have been completed wherever between November 2024 and August 2025, however they’re solely round 24% to 77% accomplished as of final month.
Sunwest has a Quadruple A license from the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, permitting it to undertake authorities tasks of any contract price. An AAAA license implies that a agency has no less than P1 billion in fairness.
Examine the desk of tasks right here:
Responding to Rappler’s queries, Romualdez mentioned the tide embankment undertaking was first proposed underneath the Aquino administration, and awarded in 2016 underneath the Duterte administration.
“It’s a multi-year, multi-billion peso endeavor masking Tacloban, Palo, Tanauan, and Tolosa, even past my district. It was designed and awarded as a regional security infrastructure program, unbiased of me,” he defined.
“It’s also not solely Sunwest that has tasks in my district. The tidal embankment undertaking was so giant that DPWH divided it into sections and awarded them to a number of contractors by means of open bidding, one in all which was Sunwest,” Romualdez added.
Romualdez additionally insisted flood management tasks in Tacloban and your complete Leyte provinces have been prioritized “not due to politics” however as a result of they “have been floor zero of Yolanda.”
“The dimensions of rehabilitation required giant nationwide contractors with the monetary and technical capability to deal with tasks of this magnitude, since native companies couldn’t take up them,” he mentioned.
Environmental issues
In Tacloban, teams are demanding a radical probe into one of many causeways being constructed by Sunwest.
The Save Kankabatok Advocacy group and the Kankabatok Kolektib say they consider the undertaking showcases a transparent reflection of corruption, evident from the early levels of planning and approval.
Jerx Aliposa, the advocacy officer of Save Kankabatok Advocacy group, raised issues concerning the lack of public consultations and complete research on financial, environmental and group impacts of the undertaking.
The teams mentioned the development needs to be stopped, because it supposedly poses a risk to the biodiversity and important ecosystem companies of Cancabato Bay, an important supply of livelihood for 3,649 registered fisherfolk within the San Jose district.
“Even with out rain, the seawater is already brown as a result of mountain soil they’re dumping into the ocean,” Roque Regis, president of Paraiso Mangrove Eco Park, mentioned.
He mentioned the undertaking would lower fish, seashell, and sea grape harvest within the space, and would destroy the long-protected mangrove space.
He mourned the numerous decreases in fish, seashells, and lato (sea grapes) they now harvest, contrasting it with the earlier abundance.
Romualdez instructed Rappler that outcomes of the flood management tasks in his district present “Tacloban and neighboring cities now not endure the large flooding that after crippled us, and 1000’s of households are actually safer from lethal storm surges.”
“One factor I can guarantee you: there are not any ghost tasks or substandard tasks in my district. These are lawfully procured, life-saving public security investments — not political favors,” Romualdez mentioned.
Ties that bind
Rappler additionally reached out to the workplaces of Co and Sunwest, however we have now but to obtain a response as of posting time. Co is claimed to be overseas; we are going to replace this story as soon as we hear from him or his workplace.
Sunwest Integrated is the present title of Sunwest Building and Growth Company, a controversial contractor in Bicol constructed by Co.
He divested his shares from the corporate in 2019, earlier than he turned a party-list consultant, however Rappler’s investigation earlier this 12 months found that he and his members of the family stay shareholders of firms underneath the mum or dad agency Sunwest Group Holdings.
Funds specialists whom Rappler spoke with beforehand mentioned this means that Co stays a useful proprietor of Sunwest Integrated regardless of his divestment.
Sunwest has been named by Marcos as among the many high 15 flood management contractors within the Philippines which have cornered one in each 5 tasks.
Division of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon himself tagged Co and Sunwest Integrated within the substandard flood management tasks in Oriental Mindoro.
Co was one in all Romualdez’s closest allies within the nineteenth Congress; he was handpicked by the Leyte congressman to steer the committee on appropriations.
In his capability, Co led the Home in passing the proposed nationwide budgets in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and even led the decrease chamber’s contingent within the bicameral convention committee.
Critics have described the 2025 funds as among the many worst or most corrupt in historical past.
Co was eliminated as Home appropriations committee in January this 12 months within the wake of the controversy, after which resigned as congressman on Monday, September 29, as he missed the deadline imposed by new Speaker Bojie Dy to return house and face the music.
Romualdez, in the meantime, resigned as speaker in early September after acknowledging that points surrounding infrastructure tasks have additionally raised questions and issues involving him and the Home.
Romualdez mentioned his exit was meant to permit the chief’s Impartial Fee for Infrastructure to “pursue its mandate freely and absolutely — no doubt, with out interference, and with out undue affect.” – with reviews from Jazmin Bonifacio/Rappler.com
