Blame game in Leyte town as riverbank wall collapses
TACLOBAN CITY—Mayor Bernardino Tacoy of Matag-ob, Leyte, wants to know how a P96-million flood control project in his town was implemented after a section of the structure collapsed at the height of heavy rains this week.
The project, undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) Fourth Engineering District in Leyte, was built in Barangay Riverside to protect flood-prone communities. However, Tacoy expressed frustration over what he called the lack of consultation between the DPWH and the local government in planning and implementing the project.
“We were never informed or asked for [our] input. How can we suggest solutions or share our observations if there’s no coordination?” Tacoy said, stressing that community involvement is crucial in ensuring that infrastructure projects respond to local needs.
Tension
The mayor has raised doubts about the project’s quality and planning, stressing that with a budget comparable to other major flood control works in Eastern Visayas, residents deserve better results.
Tacoy urged authorities to investigate possible irregularities. “Whatever assistance we can provide to those who will investigate, we will give,” he said.
The controversy has also highlighted political tensions between Tacoy and Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez.
Matag-ob belongs to the fourth congressional district represented by Gomez, whose camp was quick to downplay Tacoy’s allegations.
In a statement aired over radio station dyRG on Thursday, John Kevin Pilapil, Gomez’s media officer in Ormoc City, said a section spanning only 25 meters of the 335-meter-long flood control structure was damaged.
Pilapil pointed out that the project, which was started in March, is still under construction and will be completed, based on the work schedule, on Sept. 28. He also clarified that government funds had yet to be released to the contractor, which he did not identify.
“This flood control project is not complete yet … and the government has not paid even a single centavo [to the contractor],” he said.
Pilapil also dispelled Tacoy’s claim of being bypassed, saying the mayor had met with DPWH personnel on Jan. 16 to discuss the project.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Tacoy revealed the situation in Matag-ob during heavy rains.
“Like our neighboring towns in the fourth district, we face constant flooding threatening our homes and livelihoods. Despite limited support from our district representative, we continue to persevere through discipline and resilience,” he said.
“It is high time that the ongoing flood control projects in our district were brought to light. I call on the DPWH for complete transparency and accountability. The public must be told: Who are the contractors of these projects?” the mayor said.
At press time on Friday, officials of the DPWH Fourth Engineering District in Leyte had yet to issue a statement to clarify details of the project.
Clash
The issue is the latest flash point between Tacoy and Gomez, who had previously clashed over local infrastructure projects, including a disagreement over the proposed site for the P12-million “Super Health Center” in the town.
Tacoy, a longtime game fowl breeder widely known in the country’s cockfighting circle, is now on his second term as mayor.
In 2022, he unseated then reelectionist Michael Torrevillas, whose family had dominated the town’s politics for more than three decades. Tacoy again beat Torrevillas in this year’s elections.
Gomez is also serving his second term as representative of Leyte’s fourth congressional district.
Before being elected a lawmaker, Gomez—an actor who married commercial model Lucy Torres, a member of a landed clan in Ormoc City—started in local politics as mayor of Ormoc, a post he held for two terms starting 2016.
Gomez secured a second term in this year’s congressional elections after defeating former Court of Appeals Associate Justice Vicente Veloso III, who was supported by Tacoy. Gomez’s wife, Lucy, a former representative of the district, is serving as mayor of Ormoc.
