DENR-6 orders audit of 264 Western Visayas flood control projects

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Region 6 has ordered a quality assessment of 264 completed flood control projects in Western Visayas.

The directive was raised during the recent full council meeting of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict at District 21 Hotel in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

Based on a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Region 6 report covering fiscal years 2023 to 2025, Western Visayas has 462 flood control projects. Of the total, 264 have been completed, 185 are ongoing, 11 have not started, and one was terminated.

While DENR-6 confirmed there are no ghost flood control projects following verification, it asked DPWH-6 to assess the quality of completed structures to ensure they are functioning as intended.

Flood control updates formed part of broader discussions during the council meeting presided over by DENR Secretary and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security Raphael P.M. Lotilla.

In his opening statement, Lotilla commended task force members and heads of the council’s lines of effort for adopting a bottom-up approach to poverty alleviation that harnesses local resources and partnerships to address grassroots challenges.

“Let me assure you as well that the President, the person who chairs the Task Force ELCAC, has given instructions to make sure that the Department of Budget and Management can provide the resources that are needed to sustain the promises that we have to the conflict-affected areas,” he said.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government-Region 6 also presented updates on the Local Government Support Fund-Support to Barangay Development Program, which delivers basic services to barangays previously identified as influenced by communist terrorist groups.

For fiscal year 2023, 91 projects posted an average completion rate of 83.52 percent. In fiscal year 2024, 41 projects recorded a 24.39 percent completion rate. For fiscal year 2025, 52 projects reached 28.85 percent completion. For fiscal year 2026, 99 projects have been listed but have yet to commence.

The RTF-ELCAC, the regional branch of the task force created under Executive Order No. 70 in 2018, coordinates national and local government efforts to address the root causes of insurgency through infrastructure, social services, and development programs.

The meeting marked the first quarterly council session this year, aimed at reviewing progress and strengthening interagency coordination in Western Visayas.