Chiz Escudero Donor Wins P5.16B Flood Control Contracts
# Marcos Administration Awards Billions to Contractors linked to Top campaign donor, Focus on Escudero’s Turf
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration has awarded substantial infrastructure contracts – especially for flood control projects – to companies connected to Lawrence Lubiano, a major campaign donor to Senator Chiz Escudero.A Rappler investigation reveals a concentration of these projects in sorsogon, the province Escudero has long politically dominated, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and the effectiveness of the President’s anti-corruption pledges.
## Billions Awarded: A Look at the Contractors
From July 2022 to May 2025, the Marcos administration has contracted with several firms for critically important infrastructure work. Data analyzed by Rappler shows a pattern of awards going to companies with ties to Lubiano,a key financial backer of Escudero’s senatorial campaign.
[Embed Flourish chart: https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/chiz-escudero-top-campaign-donor-lawrence-lubiano-bags-billions-flood-control-projects/visualisation/24625096]
The sheer volume of contracts awarded is noteworthy. These aren’t small-scale repairs; we’re talking about billions of pesos allocated to projects designed to address critical infrastructure needs.But the concentration of this work, and the connections to a prominent political donor, demand closer scrutiny.
## bicol Region Dominates: centerways Construction and Escudero’s Political Base
A significant portion of the awarded contracts has been funneled to Centerways Construction. An remarkable 96% of Centerways Construction’s projects between 2021 and 2024 are located in the Bicol region, with the remaining 4% in Central Visayas.This geographic concentration is no coincidence.
Sorsogon, specifically the first district – a political stronghold held by Escudero and his family as 1987 – is receiving the lion’s share of the funding. Out of 54 projects in Sorsogon, a striking 36 are situated within Escudero’s long-held political turf. This includes projects overseen by his father, Salvador, his mother, Evelina, and his sister, Maria Bernadette, at various points over the decades.[Embed Flourish Chart: https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/chiz-escudero-top-campaign-donor-lawrence-lubiano-bags-billions-flood-control-projects/visualisation/24625529]
Before returning to the Senate in 2022, Escudero himself served as Governor of Sorsogon from 2019 to 2022, further solidifying his family’s influence over the region’s advancement. This history raises legitimate questions about whether project allocation is driven by genuine need or political expediency.
## Marcos’ Anti-Corruption pledge: A Stark Contrast?
president Marcos, during his last State of the Nation Address, emphatically vowed to crack down on corruption, specifically targeting irregularities in flood control projects.He delivered a powerful message:
“Kickbacks, initiatives, errata, SOP, for the boys. So for the conspiracy to get the people’s funds and steal the future of our citizens, you will be ashamed of your fellow Filipinos!”
(Kickbacks, initiatives, errata, SOP, for the boys. To those who connive to take government funds and steal the future of our people, feel some shame towards your fellow Filipinos!)
The irony wasn’t lost on observers. Sitting directly behind the President on the rostrum were Senate President chiz Escudero and House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the President’s cousin.
The timing and positioning prompted a crucial question: was the president’s declaration a broad warning, or a pointed message directed at those seated behind him? the concentration of contracts in Escudero’s political base certainly fuels speculation.This situation demands transparency and accountability.Filipinos deserve to know that infrastructure projects are awarded based on merit and genuine need, not political connections and campaign