Mayor seeks answers on delayed flood projects in Panay

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ROXAS CITY, Capiz — Panay Mayor Jonathan “Sonny” Besa expressed dismay after discovering that several flood control projects in his town remain unfinished despite the lapse of their target completion dates.

Because of this, he wrote to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 1st Capiz Engineering District asking for a list of ongoing, incoming, and completed projects in Panay.

According to a list provided by DPWH 1st District Engineer Cecil Lawrence Cruz, there are currently seven ongoing flood control projects in the municipality, including newly started works in Barangays Cogon and Jamul-awon, while five others have exceeded their target completion dates.

These are:

• Widening of Permanent Bridges – Anhawon Bridge along the Iloilo East Coast–Capiz Road, implemented by JMK Builders Construction, which started on March 28, 2023, and was supposed to be completed by Nov. 2, 2023; the project has since been suspended due to certain issues.
• Construction of Flood Mitigation Facilities along the Panay/Mambusao River Basin in Brgy. Agbalo, implemented by Jasa GD 2000 Construction Corp., which started on May 6, 2024, and is due for completion by May 27, 2025.
• Construction of Flood Mitigation Structure – River Control along the Panay River in Brgy. Cogon, implemented by MRRM Trading & Construction/Salmega Builders (Joint Venture), which began on March 24, 2025, and is expected to be completed by March 10, 2026.

Two additional ongoing projects were contracted to Alpha & Omega General Contractor & Development Corp., owned by spouses Pacifico and Sarah Discaya, but work has been suspended following the revocation of the firm’s license by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB).

These projects are:

• Widening of Anhawon Bridge Phase 2, which started on July 8, 2024, and was targeted for completion by March 4, 2025.
• Construction of Flood Mitigation Facilities along the Panay/Mambusao River Basin in Brgy. Tico, which began on April 14, 2024, and was scheduled for completion by Nov. 6, 2025, according to Mayor Besa.

Besa said he hopes the scheduled meeting with DPWH 1st Engineering District officials on Sept. 19, 2025, will push through so that he can clarify the issues regarding the delayed flood control projects in his town.