A long-awaited joint inspection of the controversial P3.5-Billion Loboc River Flood Control Project has been set for July 24, 2026, after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) confirmed the new date, local officials said.
The inspection was originally scheduled for July 2 but was postponed because DPWH Region 7 Regional Director Simon Arias had to attend other official engagements, Loboc Mayor Raymond Jala said.
Jala said Arias, whose office is implementing the project, is expected to personally attend the July 24 inspection.
Participants are expected to include the Bohol provincial government, the Loboc municipal government, the Loboc People’s Council, the Loboc Association of Hospitality and Accommodation, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and other agencies and stakeholders.
Anter Calipusan, president of the Loboc People’s Council and the Loboc Civil Society Organization Federation, said the group met July 16 to discuss the latest status of the flood control project and the Loboc River.
Representatives from the Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, the DPWH and the Loboc local government attended that meeting, Calipusan said.
Calipusan added that the group has since received a formal invitation to join the July 24 inspection.
Officials said the inspection is expected to let stakeholders assess the project’s actual condition and address concerns over its implementation and its potential impact on the Loboc River, one of Bohol’s leading tourist destinations, as well as on the environment and local livelihoods.
₱3.5-B Flood Control Project
A proposed flood control project worth more than P3.5 billion along the Loboc River has come under increasing public and government scrutiny following site inspections and calls for a comprehensive investigation into its planning, implementation, and potential environmental impacts.
The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) has reportedly urged a thorough review of the multi-billion-peso project, with engineers conducting technical inspections of the proposed flood mitigation works.
According to reports, the inspection covered projects valued at more than P3.5 billion amid growing questions raised by local officials, residents, and environmental advocates.
Members of the Bohol Provincial Board also recently inspected portions of the Loboc River after concerns were raised regarding the project’s progress and its possible effects on one of the province’s most important ecological and tourism areas.
During the inspection, questions were raised over the project’s status, with some observers alleging that visible construction activity did not appear to match the scale of the approved funding.