In Eastern Samar, P192-M structure to fight flooding also scrutinized
TACLOBAN CITY—A P192.3-million flood control project in Hernani, Eastern Samar has come under fire from concerned citizens who alleged that the infrastructure exists largely “on paper,” despite reports of an 84.72-percent completion rate.
The group, calling itself as “concerned citizen of Eastern Samar,” appealed to President Marcos in a social media post on Aug. 30 to look into the flood control project traversing the villages of Batang and Garawon that it said was only recently mobilized.
The contract was awarded to Amethyst Horizon Builders and General Contractor and Development Corp., a firm reportedly linked to the Discaya family, which has been cited in reports for securing billions of pesos worth of public works contracts.
The group claimed manpower and equipment originally intended for Hernani were allegedly diverted to a separate flood control project in Barangay Soong, Llorente, which has also faced public scrutiny.
Delayed
According to government records, the Hernani project has a contract cost of P192,393,616.92, with an effectivity date of April 1, 2024 and an expiry date of Jan. 25. It is being implemented by the Eastern Visayas office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The DPWH-Eastern Visayas, in a statement on Sunday, denied reports that 80 percent of the project funds had already been released.
“Our records confirm that no such payments have been made,” the agency said.
It admitted delays in implementation but attributed these to temporary work suspensions to comply with environmental requirements and to address concerns raised by relevant authorities and stakeholders.
“These measures are vital to ensure that the projects are executed responsibly, sustainably, and with due regard for both the community and the environment,” DPWH added.
The complainants, however, rejected DPWH’s explanation, arguing that environmental safeguards should have been integrated long before implementation began.
“The rules leave no room for ambiguity: technical specifications, environmental safeguards and the necessary permits should have been in place before a single peso from the General Appropriations Act was released. Yet here we are, confronted with a project bulldozing through a mangrove forest that should never have been ignored,” the group said, referring to the area where the project is located to have mangroves.
The citizens called on DPWH to release key project documents, including feasibility studies, preliminary and detailed engineering designs and the project’s books of accounts, to prove transparency.
DPWH, for its part, maintained that both the Hernani and Llorente flood control projects will be completed as planned, stressing their importance in shielding Eastern Samar communities from recurring floods and natural disasters.
