BY DAVE SUAN ALBARADO
Boholanos are calling for a comprehensive investigation into the province’s flood control contracts, particularly the controversial P2.5-Billion Loboc River flood control project that has been suspended due to environmental compliance issues.
The project, under the district of Rep. Alexie Besas-Tutor, is listed as one of the multi-billion peso flood control projects implemented in Bohol from 2022 to 2025.
The calls for investigation come in the midst of a national scandal over flood control projects that has drawn attention from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and prompted a Senate inquiry into alleged widespread corruption and the use of substandard materials in government infrastructure projects nationwide.
The Loboc flood control project has been suspended due to the lack of an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and missing resolutions from the Protected Area Management Board and other requirements mandated by the Loboc local government unit, according to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 3rd District Engineer Magiting Cruz.
Outgoing Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy has expressed fears about the rip-rap project along the Loboc River, adding to the controversy surrounding the multibillion-peso infrastructure.
“They want to know if the taxes are spent wisely and correctly and such projects indeed can help stop flooding,” said a Boholano netizen.
The investigation calls gained momentum after damage was discovered to a flood control wall in Barangay Tabajan, Guindulman.
The P27.6-million project, completed in 2022 after five years of construction, suffered wall damage that DPWH attributed to small-scale mining and sand extraction activities that caused caving beneath the structure’s slope protection.
The DPWH said the contractor will be required to repair the damage at their own expense.
Video footage obtained by station dyTR showed the extent of the wall damage, prompting residents to question the quality of construction and call for government agencies to investigate.
Project Background
The Loboc River Protection Project was initiated during the term of former mayor Leon Calipusan and is funded through the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA). It is being implemented by DPWH’s 3rd Engineering District.
With support from 3rd District Rep. Tutor, who “heeded the clamor of the Lobocanons,” a second phase was approved covering an additional seven areas requiring urgent rehabilitation.
Loboc LGU expressed support for the DPWH and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s position that “based on experts opinion, dredging can never solve flooding.”
NATIONWIDE SCANDAL
The country has been rocked by revelations of systematic corruption in flood control projects.
President Marcos recently revealed a list of the top 15 contractors who allegedly manipulated contracts to build flood control infrastructure, many of which proved ineffective or were constructed with substandard materials.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, led by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, has launched investigations into the alleged anomalies in various DPWH flood control projects.
The scandal has exposed “ghost projects” — infrastructure that exists only on paper — and poorly constructed facilities that fail to provide flood protection despite costing billions in taxpayer funds.
BOHOL DPWH
Despite the growing calls for investigation, DPWH engineers in Bohol maintain that their projects meet standards.
Cruz assured the public that there are no “ghost flood control projects” in the 3rd district, stating that all 46 flood control projects implemented with a total budget of P3.4 billion were “above board and aligned with the right quality measures.”
Similarly, DPWH 2nd District Engineer Fernando Talagsa said flood control projects in his district were properly implemented and able to fulfill their objectives, though he acknowledged some projects may face delays due to various factors.