Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
by Miriam G Desacada
Tacloban City- Merida Leyte Mayor Rolando Villasencio has raised serious concerns about a ₱95-million flood control project in Barangay Puerto Bello, which was declared 100% complete despite being far from finished. Here are the key issues with the project
According to the DPWH website showed the project was completed in July 2024, but actual work only began in August 2024.
However , in an inspectiob conducted by Mayor Villasencio confirmed the site was still under construction.
Lack of Transparency:
The DPWH district engineer refused to provide key documents, such as program boards and plans, claiming they were forwarded to the central office.
Seventy (70%) percent of the project’s budget was released on May 12, 2024, during the election period when government projects were restricted.
Puerto Bello Village was declared “completed” but remains non-operational due to poor placement and lack of accessibility.
Villasencio has urged the Department of the Interior and Local Government to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the project. This incident echoes similar controversies surrounding flood control projects in the Philippines, including substandard Construction Other flood control projects have been criticized for poor quality, with some collapsing or failing to function as intended.
Corruption Allegations:
There have been allegations of corruption, overpricing, and irregularities in government-funded flood control projects.
This time the said Local Chief Executive Calls for AccountabilityVarious groups, including business organizations and civil society, have demanded greater accountability and transparency in infrastructure projects.
In response to these issues, the government has initiated investigations and proposed reforms, such as aggregating flood control projects within single river basins to ensure technical, environmental, social, and economic viability .
