INFRASTRUCTURE is supposed to be a symbol of progress — a marker of public investment meant to improve mobility, resilience, and quality of life. But in the case of Iloilo City, it has become a flashpoint for grief and outrage. When floodwaters surged through 68 barangays, claiming the lives of a 13-year-old boy, the public was right to demand answers — not just from the local government, but from the very agency tasked with building safer communities: the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Mayor Raisa Treñas’ issuance of a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against several ongoing DPWH projects is a bold but necessary act of governance. It underscores a painful reality: infrastructure projects, no matter how well-intentioned, can cause irreparable harm when implemented without proper coordination. In this case, the “Slope Protection, Bike Lane, and Access Roads” projects by the DPWH–Iloilo City District Engineering Office (ICDEO) were revealed to be, in substance and effect, reclamation activities that obstructed natural waterways, according to Mayor Treñas. The city government — and more importantly, its citizens — were not consulted, she lamented.
This is not just negligence but systemic failure. Under Department Order No. 110, s. 2015, DPWH is required to coordinate with local governments before undertaking construction projects. That this step was bypassed, as insisted by the mayor is alarming. Even more disturbing is the claim that the very structures built to enhance connectivity and aesthetics ended up narrowing creeks and drainage channels, including Buntatala, Dungon, and Calubihan. The result? Widespread flooding, submerged homes, and s life lost.
But this is not just an Iloilo problem. Across the country, the lack of synchronization between national agencies and local government units (LGUs) continues to sow confusion and conflict. When DPWH builds without regard for local topography, historical flood data, and community consultation, the outcome is predictable: infrastructure that ignores lived realities and endangers lives.
If the national government is truly committed to “Build Better More,” then it must start by building smarter — and that begins with reforming how agencies like DPWH operate on the ground. There must be legally enforceable protocols that require LGU clearance not just as a courtesy, but as a non-negotiable step. Local leaders, after all, are the first to face angry constituents and devastated communities when things go wrong.
The Iloilo City experience is a cautionary tale. Mayor Treñas’ decisive action — and the support of Oton, Iloilo’s Mayor Sofronio Fusin Jr., who is also preparing a similar CDO — highlights a broader call for agency accountability and intergovernmental cooperation. The promise of infrastructure must not come at the cost of people’s lives and homes. National infrastructure goals must be realigned with local realities.
Development should never drown out the voices of the communities it claims to serve.
