ILOILO — Alleging widespread defects and abandonment in seawall projects worth nearly P855.6 million, 5th District Provincial Board member Rolex Suplico has renewed his call for a full-scale probe into flood control projects in his district.
“Today, I rise in defense of the people’s money – my money, your money, our money, as we are all taxpayers. This money is spent to fund the annual budget of the Republic of the Philippines,” Suplico declared in his privilege speech during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s ninth regular session on Aug. 26.
Projects in Ajuy
Suplico said his inspections of seawalls in barangays Pili, Barrido, and Mangorocoro in Ajuy revealed construction flaws and signs of neglect.
“The projects lack proper foundations, which are essential for structural stability. Additionally, the cement mixture used is insufficient, compromising durability. We also found that many areas lack concrete pavement, leaving them vulnerable to erosion. Furthermore, an alarming number of sites are overgrown with weeds, indicating neglect,” he said.
In Barangay Barrido, he cited a P39.197-million seawall project which he described as “obviously abandoned.” The total budget for flood control works in the barangay, he said, reached P203.461 million.
In Barangay Pili, Suplico said the first seawall section across the home of Barangay Captain Romeo Bolinas was P85.156 million but lacked a concrete pavement for about 80 meters.
“Water is already seeping in because, during high tide, the canal is filled with seawater,” he noted.
Other sections in Pili, worth P155.8 million in total, were either without foundations or abandoned, he added.
The barangay’s entire seawall project, Suplico said, had a budget of P240.723 million.
In Barangay Mangorocoro, where five seawall sections were awarded to different contractors, Suplico said he found delayed works, demolished old structures, and abandoned portions.
“Grass [was] growing and a pump boat [was] being built on it,” he said of one site.
The total allocation for the barangay was P411.430 million, said Suplico.
Call for accountability
Suplico said his inspections were backed by engineers and verified through project billboards and the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” online platform.
“I was accompanied by a qualified engineer who conducted a thorough evaluation of the seawall structures, confirming the absence of foundational support in many cases,” he told fellow legislators.
He tallied the combined allocations: P203.461 million in Barrido, P240.723 million in Pili, and P411.430 million in Mangorocoro — totalling P855.614 million.
“By the way, I titled this speech ‘GOTCHA!’ This is a colloquial or informal English exclamation which means that ‘I have got you.’ It is used to express satisfaction in surprising or besting someone. My friends, let us all wake up to the reality that there are no angels in Congress, nor at the DPWH, nor in the ranks of contractors. There are also no angels here in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan,” he said.
Suplico urged immediate action, warning that the defective seawalls fail to protect Ajuy’s coastal communities from flooding and erosion./PN
