ILOILO City – Mayor Raisa Treñas has sounded the alarm over billions in public funds sunk into flood control projects that are either delayed, suspended, or cannot even be located.
In a report formally submitted to the Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG) on September 18, Treñas revealed that city inspectors could not find five out of 17 flood mitigation projects funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
She said the findings expose a systemic failure in project planning and coordination between national agencies and the local government.
“This is unacceptable. It is not enough to go after contractors for palpak or delayed works. We must also demand accountability from those who endorsed and pushed for these projects without proper coordination with the city,” Treñas declared.
The Iloilo City District Engineering Office’s July 31 report listed projects totaling P1.83 billion, among them:
* P150-million Batiano River flood control and promenade project (suspended since March 2025);
* P50-million Iloilo City Flood Mitigation Structure Section 1 (suspended since May 2025);
* P130.4-million Calajunan Creek flood structure, only 20.64% complete against a 76.92% target;
* P40-million coastal flood protection project with just 4% progress; and
* P100-million Batiano River Section 2 project, also suspended due to inaccessible sites.
The inspection was conducted by the Iloilo City Government with the Office of the Building Official, City Engineer’s Office, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and media representatives.
Conspicuously absent were the Commission on Audit (COA), the Iloilo City District Engineering Office, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6.
Treñas stressed that the lack of coordination has left communities more vulnerable to flooding despite the billions allocated.
“Billions are being poured into these flood control projects, yet our people remain at risk every time it rains. This is not just inefficiency, it is a betrayal of public trust,” she said.
The mayor also slammed the failure to remove illegal structures along waterways — an issue she said could have been solved if agencies coordinated earlier with the city, which has consistently offered relocation sites for affected families.
Submitting the report, Treñas explained, was not just compliance with M4GG’s transparency directive but also a stand for accountable governance.
“This submission reflects our continuing commitment to advance transparent public service. Accountability cannot be selective, it must extend to contractors, implementing offices, and officials who endorsed these projects,” she said./PN
