Collapsed Dreams in Candijay: Partial ruin of the Gabayan River flood control structure in Sitio Gabayan, Barangay La Union, Bohol – allegedly completed just last December under DPWH’s watch in Rep. Alexie Besas-Tutor’s 3rd District – after torrential rains exposed potential flaws and substandard materials. (Contributed photo)

By DAVE SUAN ALBARADO

A newly completed multi-million pesos flood control structure along Gabayan River in Candijay, Bohol collapsed just days after heavy rainfall, prompting questions and doubts about construction quality and calls for investigation into what Boholanos describe as visibly inadequate foundations.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bohol Third District Engineering Office confirmed Wednesday that approximately 80 meters of the flood control project in Barangay Cogtong, Candijay was destroyed following heavy rain on October 29, 2025.

District Engineer Magiting Cruz issued an official statement saying the structure “was designed to manage water flow by redirecting pressure away from the riverbank” but acknowledged that soil erosion caused by water pressure led to the collapse of the reinforced concrete floor slab within the structure.

“Because of the recent heavy rain, water that accumulated at the floor of the structure caused the base to fail, resulting in the incident,” Cruz said in the October 29 document.

However, his explanation has done little to quell suspicions of substandard construction after residents reported observing shallow foundations and inadequate reinforcement.

“There’s no proper foundation, it’s shallow and the steel bars look small, like it was just placed on the side,” said one Candijay resident who requested anonymity, using a mixture of Cebuano and Filipino to describe the collapsed structure.

The project, officially designated “23HB0069 – Construction of Anoling-Tubod-Gabayan Flood Control, Candijay, Bohol,” was completed by contractors Fuentabuilt Construction Corp. and M.R. Vargas Construction Corporation for P139.4 million pesos and handed over to DPWH in December 2024.

The quick collapse — less than a year after completion — has raised doubts about construction standards in a province where DPWH has undertaken at least 34 flood control projects worth billions of pesos under Third District Representative Alexi Tutor since 2022.

In his statement, Cruz said the project was completed in 2024 and had “just entered the structural liability period of the contractor,” during which the builder remains responsible for defects. 

He confirmed the contractor has been called to perform restoration work at no cost to the government, though he provided no timeline for repairs.

Cruz defended the project’s design, saying it was “planned, designed, and built according to DPWH standards and specifications” and included weepholes for drainage to prevent water accumulation under normal conditions.

“The pipe levels for water accumulation were not exceeded in the wrong place. Even if the structure has weepholes for drainage, there was no time for water to pass through under normal conditions,” Cruz said, appearing to suggest the rainfall exceeded design parameters.

He added that DPWH’s technical team is now “reviewing possible improvements to the design” and examining “affected areas,” while the agency “reaffirms to the public its commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and delivering public service.”

The incident comes as the country enters the rainy season, when flood control infrastructure faces its most critical tests. 

The Gabayan River project is part of a multi-year flood mitigation program covering several sensitive areas prone to flooding. 

The structure was designed to withstand water pressure, support the riverbank, and prevent erosion through a reinforced concrete foundation anchored to bedrock beneath the structure.

The Gabayan River project is one of several major flood control projects in Bohol’s Third Districtn of Cong. Tutor, which covers the eastern portion of Bohol province. 

Other recent projects include structures along the Manaba, Wahig, Alejawan, and Tangohay rivers, collectively worth more than P2 billion pesos.

No injuries were reported in the collapse, though the damaged structure has left Candijay vulnerable to flooding during continued rainfall.

FLOOD CONTROL SCAM

The Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) is still investigating the multi-billion-peso corruption scandal within the government’s flood control projects, with lawmakers and officials accused of siphoning public funds through kickbacks and ghost projects.

The scandal, which came to light during heavy rains in mid-2025, centers on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). 

Auditors have initially flagged approximately P518 billion in flood infrastructure that was paid for but never built.

The allegations emerged from a Commission on Audit (COA) probe and subsequent Senate hearings. 

Whistleblowers, including former DPWH engineers, described a system where projects were allegedly “sold” to politicians and budgets were inflated to generate illicit payouts.

At the heart of the scandal are allegations that members of Congress orchestrated the diversion of funds. 

According to witness affidavits presented in Senate inquiries, lawmakers would insert specific flood control projects into the national budget and then receive kickbacks estimated at 20 to 30 percent of the project cost.

The alleged mechanism involved contractors (notably the Discaya couple) advancing cash to lawmakers upon the approval of the budget. 

Testimonies described deliveries of money in briefcases or envelopes at private residences and offices.

Several high-profile figures have been implicated, including Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva, as well as former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Romualdez stepped down from his leadership role in September amid the allegations.

At least eight senators and 21 members of the House of Representatives are under scrutiny, according to official reports.

The Senate’s Blue Ribbon Committee has been leading a high-profile inquiry, citing witnesses for contempt and uncovering dozens of non-existent project sites.

A newly formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) has recommended non-bailable plunder charges against several lawmakers, including Estrada and Villanueva, as well as bribery charges against a former DPWH undersecretary.

In response, the government has initiated reforms. 

The DPWH secretary resigned in August, and his successor has blacklisted implicated contractors and slashed the 2026 flood control budget by P252 billion.

President Marcos has ordered lifestyle checks on all officials and launched a public complaint portal (isumbongsapangulo.ph)

The scandal has triggered public protests and drawn condemnation from civil society groups, who point to parallels with a major pork-barrel fund scam in 2013.