Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Tuesday acknowledged receiving a P30 million donation from Centerways Construction for his 2022 senatorial campaign. However, he firmly denied helping the firm secure government contracts, particularly the multi-billion-peso flood control projects flagged by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The President recently disclosed that P100 billion worth of projects—nearly 20 percent of the government’s P545-billion flood mitigation budget from July 2022 to May 2025—were awarded to just 15 contractors. Among them was Centerways Construction, raising concerns of political influence in the awarding of big-ticket projects.
In a press conference, Escudero clarified that while the company’s owner was indeed a major campaign donor, their relationship should not be equated with corruption.
“That’s the same innuendo and insinuation that’s always being attached and said just because someone contributed or gave,” Escudero said in Filipino. “He has long been my friend and acquaintance, and he has genuinely helped us—even long before this became an issue—and he’s really from Sorsogon.”
When pressed on whether he assisted the company in obtaining government deals, Escudero pointed out that Centerways had won more projects during the period when he was not in the Senate. He also emphasized that he holds no business interest in the firm.
“I am not part of his business. Again, that’s the innuendo and insinuation being floated and propagated. Why don’t we look instead at which lawmakers and government officials are actual contractors and owners of companies that secured government contracts?” Escudero said.
The Senate leader urged the public to scrutinize potential conflicts of interest involving officials who simultaneously hold positions of power and financial stakes in government contractors.
His remarks come amid heightened public scrutiny of infrastructure spending and allegations of favoritism in project distribution. The President’s revelation has sparked calls for greater transparency and accountability in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which oversees flood mitigation initiatives nationwide.
Escudero reiterated that campaign contributions should not automatically be linked to irregularities, insisting that his long-standing ties to the donor do not translate into political favors.
As debates intensify over the alleged concentration of contracts among a handful of firms, Escudero’s clarification highlights the thin line between political donations and potential conflicts of interest—an issue expected to dominate upcoming congressional hearings.