BY DAVE SUAN ALBARADO

Provincial lawmakers in Bohol have launched an investigation into an ongoing P3.5-Billion Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) river protection project along the iconic Loboc River following fears that the flood control project may be causing environmental damage and threatening one of the province’s most important tourism destinations.

The inquiry was initiated by members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan after tourism stakeholders, environmental groups and Loboc residents raised alarms over alleged alterations to the river’s natural ecosystem.

On Saturday, June 20, 2026, members of the provincial board’s Committees on Environment and Natural Resources and Public Works conducted a site and ocular inspection of the P3.5-Billion project area in Loboc town.

The inspection was led by Board Member Atty. Jiselle Rae Aumentado Villamor-Tan, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, together with Board Members Lucille Lagunay and Greg Jala.

Representatives from the Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office (BPEMO), Bohol Tourism Office, Loboc Association of Hospitality and Accommodation (LAHA), Loboc People’s Council (LPC), and Loboc Mayor Raymond Jala also joined the inspection.

The investigation stemmed from complaints raised by the Bohol Provincial Tourism Office, LAHA and LPC regarding the DPWH’s ongoing Loboc River Protection Project, which includes riverbank protection and flood mitigation structures.

Stakeholders alleged that portions of nipa vegetation and other natural riverbank features had been removed during construction activities.

Stakeholders also expressed worries about the installation of steel sheet piles and other structural interventions that they fear could disrupt sensitive ecosystems, including the habitats of the fireflies that have become one of Loboc’s most popular tourist attractions.

The groups further warned that alterations to the river’s natural landscape could undermine the area’s appeal as a tourism destination and negatively affect businesses and communities that depend on the river for their livelihoods.

“The issue is not opposition to development or flood control,” Villamor said in previous remarks before the provincial board. “Infrastructure projects must be implemented in a transparent, science-based and environmentally responsible manner while taking into account the concerns of affected communities.”

Villamor has called for the immediate public disclosure of P3.5-Billion project documents, including the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), environmental permits, technical studies and compliance reports related to the project.

The provincial board is also seeking a comprehensive review of whether the project complies with environmental laws and regulations.

Lagunay, meanwhile, called for a multi-stakeholder dialogue involving government agencies, experts, tourism operators and affected residents to ensure decisions are guided by scientific evidence and sustainability considerations.

“The true measure of development is not merely the structures we build but the wisdom with which we preserve the natural heritage entrusted to our care,” Lagunay said.

Lawmakers stressed that protecting the Loboc River involves more than environmental issues, noting its importance to Bohol’s tourism industry, cultural identity and local economy.

The issue has been formally referred to the provincial board’s Committees on Environment and Public Works for further investigation.

Officials are expected to invite representatives from DPWH Region 7, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government officials and other stakeholders to explain the project’s design, environmental safeguards and compliance measures.

TUTOR REACTS

Bohol Third District Rep. Alexie Tutor supported calls for transparency, saying DPWH should address public complaints regarding the P3.5-Billion project.

Tutor said she continues to monitor the implementation of the river protection works and emphasized that any unintended environmental impacts should be immediately assessed and addressed.

The controversy comes at a time when flood control projects across the Philippines are facing heightened public scrutiny amid ongoing national investigations into alleged irregularities and inefficiencies in flood mitigation programs.

In recent years, government auditors and lawmakers have repeatedly questioned the effectiveness, planning and implementation of billions of pesos worth of flood control projects nationwide.

Critics have brought up issues over projects that allegedly lacked adequate environmental studies, suffered from poor design or failed to deliver their intended flood protection benefits despite substantial public spending.

The Loboc River probe unfolds against the backdrop of a national reckoning over flood control spending.

Since mid-2025, Philippine officials have faced sustained public anger and congressional and Senate investigations into trillions of pesos in flood control contracts nationwide, after a Commission on Audit report and a presidential address flagged “ghost” or substandard projects, collusion between contractors and DPWH officials, and allegations of kickbacks reaching lawmakers.

The scandal prompted the creation of an Independent Commission for Infrastructure to investigate the anomalies, the suspension and replacement of DPWH officials, and renewed congressional debate over the pork-barrel-style insertion of infrastructure funds into the national budget.

That scrutiny has heightened public and local-government wariness of DPWH-implemented projects generally, including those framed as flood mitigation or river protection work, with the public and watchdogs pressing for greater disclosure of permits, environmental studies and contracting details — concerns that echo directly in the Loboc board members’ demands for transparency before the river project proceeds.