Contractors tied to the Discaya family cornered more than ₱31 billion worth of government flood-control projects between 2022 and 2025, according to a report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).
PCIJ records show that companies founded by Pacifico “Curlee” II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya bagged 345 solo and joint flood-control contracts.
These firms alone—Alpha & Omega Gen. Contractor & Development Corp., St. Timothy Construction Corporation, St. Matthew Gen. Contractor & Development Corp., Great Pacific Builders and Gen. Contractor Inc., St. Gerrard Construction Gen. Contractor & Development Corp., and Way Maker General Contractor OPC—cornered ₱25.2 billion worth of contracts.
But PCIJ also flagged three other firms—YPR Gen. Contractor and Construction, Elite General Contractors and Development Corp., and Amethyst Horizon Builders—where Curlee was listed as chief operating officer. Two of these even entered joint ventures with companies already founded by the Discayas.
In total, all companies linked to the Discayas secured 421 projects worth ₱31,035,712,926.70.
“That’s more than the annual net revenues clocked by Ayala Land in recent years,” PCIJ stressed.
CONSTRUCTION FIRMS OF REP. ZALDY CO
The report further noted that while the Discayas took the lion’s share of projects, companies linked to the powerful Co family also bagged billions in contracts.
PCIJ found that Sunwest Inc., Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corp., and FS Co Builders and Supply—linked to Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co and his siblings—secured ₱15.7 billion in government contracts from 2022 to 2025. Together, these firms landed 149 projects.
Sunwest was founded by Rep. Elizaldy Co, who also chairs the House committee on appropriations, while Hi-Tone was founded by his brother Christopher Co. Their sister, Albay Vice Gov. Farida Co, owns FS Co Builders and Supply.