ILOILO City – Amid complaints about botched flood-control works, unfinished gyms, and duplicated projects, the Department of Public Works and Highways–Iloilo City District Engineering Office (DPWH-ICDEO) is finally seeking a sit-down with the Iloilo City Government to settle once and for all the messy coordination of infrastructure projects.
In a letter to Mayor Raisa Treñas, District Engineer Roy Pacanan acknowledged that closer collaboration is needed to avoid duplication and ensure projects deliver real benefits to Ilonggos.
“In view of ongoing and forthcoming infrastructure projects within Iloilo City, this Office respectfully invites your good office… to attend a coordination meeting at the soonest possible time,” Pacanan wrote.
He said the purpose is “to discuss the details of both DPWH-ICDEO projects and the City Government projects to avoid overlapping, ensure proper implementation, and secure alignment of undertakings for the betterment of Iloilo City.”
Pacanan further disclosed that flood and drainage issues will be on the table.
“The discussion shall include the accommodation of drainage declogging requests, as our Office has been continuously coordinating dredging activities, drainage declogging, and other related concerns raised by various barangays,” he said. “On the other hand, matters which fall within the jurisdiction of the Local Government Unit were also duly endorsed to your Office.”
The DPWH official underscored the need for national and local agencies to finally work in step.
“We look forward to working hand-in-hand with the City Engineer’s Office and the Iloilo City Government to ensure the successful delivery of infrastructure projects that would provide equitable benefit to the people of Iloilo City,” he said.
Mayor Treñas, while welcoming the DPWH’s move, minced no words in pointing out what went wrong. She called for transparency and accountability, especially on projects that were left hanging.
“Anytime, anywhere para sa kaayuhan sang aton mga programa kag proyekto,” she said, but added that City Hall must be given five days’ notice to prepare technical documents and inputs.
She also reminded that all projects, especially those tied to flood control, must earn the people’s nod and scientific validation.
“Furthermore, in cases of flood control projects, these should always be science-based,” Treñas stressed.
The mayor flagged DPWH for demolishing still-usable barangay covered courts and multi-purpose gyms that remain incomplete even after five years. Such unfinished works, she implied, have become the clearest evidence of poor coordination and waste.
Still, Treñas said she stands by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for stronger DPWH-LGU collaboration.
“Ini nga mando nagahatag kusog sa partnership kag naga-ensure nga wala duplication kag tanan aligned ang mga programs/projects,” she said./PN
