Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong claimed that former Marikina City 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo received P300 million in allocations for the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (MAIP) program under the Department of Health (DOH).
Magalong said in a television interview that he saw DOH documents during his time as an adviser of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) showing that Quimbo received ₱300 million from the MAIP funds.
“Alam mo nga nagulat nga ako na I saw a document na sa DOH, iyong MAIP funds, iyong Medical Assistance to Indigenous Patients. Di ba dapat lagi iyon equitable distribution? Surprisingly, meron siyang P300 million na-allocate sa kanya,” Magalong said.
“Gano’n sila ka-powerful,” he added, referring to Quimbo’s position as vice chairperson and later chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations in the 19th Congress.
Magalong also stressed during the interview that the ICI should invite Quimbo to its probe to shed light on accusations regarding insertions in the 2025 national budget.
“Ako siguro kailangan isa sa mga imbitahan diyan si Congressman Stella Quimbo, former congresswoman. Isa yan,” said Magalong, who briefly served as an ICI adviser before resigning recently.
Aside from Quimbo, Magalong said the ICI should also summon Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, who chaired the House Appropriations Committee during the Duterte administration.
Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco earlier identified Quimbo as one of the members of the small committee where some of the insertions in the 2025 national budget allegedly took place.
Records show Quimbo implemented four infrastructure projects in her district through companies owned by controversial contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya.
The said projects were awarded to Discaya-linked firms, including Great Pacific Builders and General Contractor Inc., JMLR Construction and Supply, St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corp., VPR General Contractor and Construction Supply Inc., and Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development Corp.
Great Pacific Builders handled the construction of box culverts along Rainbow Street (P41,878,276.31) and Zenaida Subdivision (P35,355,782.73), both in Brgy. Concepcion Dos.
Quimbo also endorsed the construction of slope protection works along Balanti Creek at Katipunan Extension (P56,741,661.01) and the creek’s improvement project (P46,353,618.68).
The projects, totaling P180 million, were funded in 2022 and 2023, during Quimbo’s tenure as vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations.
Meanwhile, Alpha & Omega General Contractor and Eight J’s Construction were also tapped to develop the ₱400-million Marikina City Innovation Center located in Quimbo’s district.
Quimbo represented Marikina City’s 2nd District from 2019 to 2025. She ran for mayor in 2025 but lost.
