September 2, 2025 | Manila
Businesswoman and government contractor Sarah Discaya confirmed before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Monday that she owns 28 luxury vehicles, even as she rejected allegations that her companies were involved in so-called “ghost projects” linked to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Discaya, along with several other contractors, appeared before the panel following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s disclosure that a handful of firms cornered the biggest share of flood control projects in recent years.
On Her Car Collection
During the hearing, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada asked Discaya about her collection of luxury cars, which recently went viral online.
When asked how many vehicles she had, Discaya replied, “Nasa 28 po,” adding that they were purchased from local dealers. She explained that her four children also use the cars regularly.
Pressed further by Estrada, she insisted the vehicles were not bought using government funds.
The Bureau of Customs has since announced it will examine the Discaya family’s luxury car collection.
Denial of Ghost Projects
Discaya strongly denied claims that her companies engaged in ghost projects. She told senators that in 2022, she submitted bids for 491 projects but won only 71, specifically under Alpha and Omega companies.
She estimated that her group of firms has completed around 400 DPWH projects nationwide, not limited to flood control. These include contracts in Romblon, Cebu, Bohol, Bacolod, and Zamboanga, among other provinces.
Allegations of “Favored” Contractors
Estrada, however, suggested that the Discaya firms appeared to enjoy special treatment. He alleged that the companies were often among the first to access project details, even before the National Expenditure Program (NEP) was finalized.
“It’s as if you could choose projects from a menu,” Estrada remarked, pressing Discaya to identify her alleged contacts within the DPWH.
Discaya admitted knowing district engineers in Bulacan and Laguna but denied receiving favors from them. She maintained that her companies only bid for projects listed on the PhilGEPS government procurement platform.
Multiple Construction Firms
Discaya also disclosed that she owns nine construction companies. She said her involvement with DPWH contracts began in 2012, years before her businesses gained prominence.
Meanwhile, Maria Roma Angeline Rimando, niece of Discaya’s husband, revealed that St. Timothy Construction has secured 145 flood control projects since 2022. She also said another relative owns Elite Construction, which has likewise been awarded government contracts.
The Senate inquiry continues as lawmakers scrutinize how billions of pesos in flood control funds were allocated and whether certain contractors were given undue advantage.
