ILOILO FLOOD ROW: DPWH begins probe on flood projects after Marcos flags delays

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor 

The Department of Public Works and Highways has launched an investigation into flood control projects in Iloilo City following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s remarks calling some of them “delayed” and “substandard.”

A composite team from the DPWH Central Office’s Quality Assurance Unit arrived in Iloilo City on August 15 to inspect projects implemented by the Iloilo City District Engineering Office.

The team includes personnel from the Bureau of Quality and Safety, Bureau of Construction, and Bureau of Design.

The probe aims to determine the location, quality, and impact of the projects, particularly after three storms in July allegedly worsened flooding in several barangays.

Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu, who met with the QAU team, said the city government is ready to provide all necessary documents and information for the investigation.

“Public money matters and the taxpayers’ money should be spent in the appropriate way,” she said, maintaining that the projects were implemented without coordination with the local government.

The investigation will also be supported by a separate study from the Iloilo City Planning and Development Office, with experts from the University of the Philippines Diliman serving as consultants.

The findings will be used in finalizing the city’s Comprehensive Drainage Plan.

In an interview with Aksyon Radyo Iloilo on Thursday night, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the QAU team was sent to Iloilo following Marcos’s remarks.

On August 12, Marcos visited Sections 9 and 10 of a flood mitigation project in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro, where he criticized some projects for allegedly worsening flooding.

Bonoan said the team will review all projects implemented under the Marcos administration from July 2022 to May 2025.

The DPWH chief also acknowledged Treñas-Chu’s suggestion to halt the projects in Mohon, Arevalo, and Tagbak, Jaro.

“We will see what are the basis why we should stop these projects because these are projects that have been included in the General Appropriations Act and this is a law,” he said. “We just need to have a valid reason why we should not implement the project.”

Bonoan maintained that before projects are implemented, the DPWH conducts an impact analysis to ensure they will serve their intended purpose and not cause further problems.

He said the DPWH’s regional and local offices have three days to address and validate reports received through the president’s complaint website regarding flood projects.

“We have to validate immediately,” he stressed.

All complaints will be forwarded to the president, who will then refer them to the appropriate implementing agency.

Bonoan added that they have not yet received any reports of anomalies in flood projects from the city or province of Iloilo.

‘NO GHOST PROJECTS’

The DPWH-6, alongside the ICDEO and the Commission on Audit, also inspected flood projects in Jaro and Lapuz districts.

DPWH-6 Director Joel Limpengco addressed Marcos’s pronouncement, saying, “It may have been that it was not just explained thoroughly to the president.”

The two projects have revised contract expiry dates, with one already past its original deadline.

Limpengco explained that delays are largely due to issues such as the presence of informal settlers and pending permits.

ICDEO head Roy Pacanan said all projects in the city and province of Iloilo are existing, refuting Treñas-Chu’s previous statement that they were non-existent.

“Rest assured that all our projects are ongoing. There are no ghost projects and if there are delays, everything is being undertaken,” he said.

Pacanan said the ICDEO will follow the president’s directive to blacklist underperforming construction firms.