ILOILO City – A P90-million flood mitigation project in Barangay Mohon, Arevalo district is under scrutiny after heavy rains exposed wide cracks along its newly built esplanade, prompting residents to demand immediate action from the Department of Public Works and Highways – Iloilo City District Engineering Office (DPWH-ICDEO).
The cracks — estimated at three inches wide and stretching about 25 meters — were discovered along the pathway separating the structure’s columns, raising fears of possible structural failure in a project meant to protect communities from flooding.
Punong Barangay Francis Acap confirmed that residents reported the damage after continuous rainfall saturated the ground and destabilized the riverbank area.
“Damo cracks sa kilid sang flood control. Naistoryahan namon sa (barangay) council nga mahatag kami sang formal letter, addressed sa aton Iloilo City District Engineering Office para matagaan sang solusyon ang ini nga problema,” Acap said.
Acap said initial observations during construction raised concerns when a supposed 12-meter sheet pile — intended to stabilize the foundation — appeared to have been cut into three or four segments instead of being installed in full length.
Residents fear this may have weakened the structure’s ability to withstand strong water currents, leading to soil erosion and the formation of cracks.
The project, located near the riverbank, was implemented by DPWH-ICDEO and handled by St. Gerard Construction Development Corp. It had three phases.
Only Phase 1 — approximately 300 meters from Mohon Bridge to Sto. Domingo — has been completed. Phases 2 and 3 remain unfinished.
A resident identified only as “Jun” warned of worse consequences if the cracks continue to expand.
“May posibilidad nga marumpag…may tendency nga ma amat-amat hilay na ang iban,” he said.
Another concerned resident, who requested anonymity and preferred to be called “Doughlas,” raised questions about possible substandard materials and the lack of on-site supervision.
“Diri ako gaistar lapit gid. Nakita ko ang pag ubra sini. Waay ‘ni sang kabilya sa flooring. I think wala gid man sila gabutang…I don’t know. Ang reason sini is shallow ang pag lubong sang steel pile…” he said.
He also questioned the absence of a transparency board on site.
“That’s the requirement (putting a tarpaulin for transparency of the budget)..pero wala na di, nagkalaguba na..pati timeline I don’t know kon diin na,” he added.
Doughlas further alleged minimal supervision from DPWH during critical phases of construction.
“During the implementation of the project, bihira kag wala ako may nakita nga representative sang DPWH, dapat sila ma-supervise sang implementation because sila ang implementing agency…whatever nga waay masunod it’s not the fault of the contractor…because waay gatan-aw ang DPWH…bihira magkadto…pagbuhos, pagbutang sinang steel pile wala sila. No supervision at all. Kundi nagpalpak,” he lamented.
The project began in January 2025 but was later halted amid controversies surrounding flood control projects locally and nationwide.
Barangay officials have advised residents, particularly those living near the riverbanks, to remain vigilant and prepare for possible risks should the cracks worsen./PN
