SUBSTANDARD CANAL PROBE |Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board Member Nathaniel Binlod conducts an ocular inspection of the lateral canal of the P833-million Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Mabini, Bohol, after a video uploaded by resident-vlogger “Ka Farmers Mix Vlog” alleging poor construction went viral with over 1 million views — just days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the project on June 22, 2026. (Contributed photo)
BY DAVE SUAN ALBARADO
Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado has ordered a legislative inquiry into a National Irrigation Administration project in Mabini after a social media video alleging substandard construction of an irrigation canal went viral, drawing more than 1 million views online and prompting urgent questions about the quality of a freshly inaugurated government infrastructure project.
Aumentado announced Wednesday, June 24, that he would refer the Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for investigation in aid of legislation, saying the move was necessary to protect the interests of local farmers who stand to benefit directly from the irrigation system.
“Atong ipa-susi sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan, in aid of legislation, ang NIA project sa Cayacay aron maklaro ang isyu ug dili madehado ang mga mag-uuma,” Aumentado said in an official statement.
The controversy erupted after a resident using the social media account “Ka Farmers Mix Vlog” uploaded a video that purportedly showed hastily and poorly constructed lateral canals — the network of smaller waterways designed to distribute irrigation water from the main reservoir to individual farmlands.
The footage drew widespread public attention, with viewers raising concerns about the structural integrity of the infrastructure and the use of public funds.
The lateral canal in question is part of the P833-million Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project, or SRIP, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Gov. Aumentado personally inaugurated on June 22, 2026, just days before the controversy broke out.
The timing of the viral video — coming within days of the project’s high-profile launch — amplified public scrutiny and fueled calls for accountability.
Implemented by the National Irrigation Administration under the leadership of Administrator Engr. Eddie G. Guillen, the SRIP was designed to provide year-round irrigation water supply to 530 hectares of agricultural land, benefiting 717 farmers across Barangays Abaca, San Roque, Aguipo, and Cabidian in the municipality of Mabini, as well as Barangay Cayacay in the municipality of Alicia.
The project was billed as a major boost to agricultural productivity in the eastern portion of Bohol province.
Provincial officials moved quickly in response to the public outcry.
Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board Member Nathaniel Binlod, chairman of the Committee on Public Works and Highways, conducted an ocular inspection of the affected lateral canal in Barangays Abaca and San Roque in Mabini within days of the video going viral.
The on-site visit was described as an initial assessment of the allegations raised in the footage.
Binlod disclosed during the inspection that construction of the lateral canal under NIA Regional Office 7 began in 2011 and was completed in 2018 — a timeline spanning seven years that raises further questions about the durability of the completed infrastructure given the extent of deterioration now being documented.
The board member said he intends to convene a formal committee investigation to determine the root causes of the canal’s rapid deterioration and to establish accountability for any lapses in construction standards.
Even as the legislative inquiry gets underway, NIA-7 has already launched emergency repair operations on the damaged sections of the canal.
The agency’s decision to begin repairs immediately after the video went viral drew mixed reactions, with some observers welcoming the swift response while others questioned whether the urgency of the repairs was an implicit acknowledgment of the construction deficiencies alleged in the footage.
Governor Aumentado framed the referral to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan as a necessary step to ensure transparency and to prevent farmers from being shortchanged by substandard government works.
The governor’s office said the inquiry would seek to clarify the full scope of the issues and determine what corrective measures need to be taken.
The Mabini-Cayacay SRIP represents one of the largest irrigation investments in Bohol in recent years.
With hundreds of farming families in Mabini and Alicia depending on the project for reliable water supply, provincial officials say the stakes of the investigation extend well beyond the damaged canal sections.