By CESAR JOLITO III
The Council of Concerned Citizens (C3) has raised serious questions over the transparency, necessity and quality of P11 billion worth of flood control projects in Bacolod City, following an independent inspection and review of completed structures.
On Monday, September 22, 24 C3 inspectors, joined by representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government offices, conducted their first on-site inspection of the following four completed projects in Bacolod:
* P96.5-million Lupit River Phase 7 flood control structure
* P91.6-million Loygoy River Phase 1 revetment with floodwall
* P96.5-million Ngalan River revetment with floodwall
* P96.5-million Bakyas Creek revetment with floodwall
The projects were undertaken by Legacy Construction/MKU and C’Zarles/JVC Tough Core.
C3 Bacolod lead convenor, Fr. Aniceto “Mao” Buenafe stressed that while no ghost projects were found, the investigation exposed broader issues of design integrity, bidding processes, contractor accountability, and inter-agency responsibility.
“People of Bacolod and Negros deserve genuine transparency, authentic competitive bidding and full accountability for every peso spent,” Buenafe said.
From 2017 to 2025, P4.28 billion in funds for flood control projects were allocated in Bacolod alone, while 138 projects across Negros Island accounted for the rest.
Findings raise red flags
C3 Bacolod confirmed the existence of the projects but flagged several issues:
* Portions of the Loygoy River project showed only 10 meters and two to three meters rehabilitated, raising concerns that reforestation — not costly flood structures — would have been a more effective alternative.
* The Lupit River revetment used Class B concrete, which has a shorter shelf life and may not sustain the 6.5- to seven-meter wall height.
* DPWH records also reveal overlapping phases worth hundreds of millions, with unclear timelines and inter-phasing.
* Structures at Bakyas Creek and Ngalan River require further technical review, particularly on the appropriateness of design and concrete mix durability.
* The legality of joint ventures remains unverified as documents were unavailable, while concerns were also raised over non-observance of standard easements along riverbanks.
C3 Bacolod said they will review all DPWH project records, including contracts and programs of work; conduct further site inspections across Bacolod and Negros Occidental; and publish evidence-based reports to the public to ensure accountability and transparency.
The group emphasized that its mission is to advance good governance and prevent public funds from being wasted on “cookie-cutter” projects that fail to serve their intended purpose.
Request for more documents
In a radio interview yesterday, C3 spokesperson Atty. Ceasar Beloria said the group will formally request additional documents from DPWH to obtain a more detailed list of flood control projects in Bacolod.
Beloria said they are hopeful that DPWH will provide the records promptly, noting that their initial probe found three Bacolod projects with the same contract cost of P96.5 million each.
Investigation teams were also scheduled to visit two more areas identified in the complaints from local residents.
He added that once their investigation is completed, and if irregularities are confirmed, the group will recommend the filing of administrative or criminal cases against those found responsible.
C3 — composed of church leaders, lawyers, engineers, and civil society organizations — was formed to investigate alleged corruption in flood control projects under DPWH in Bacolod.
Buenafe earlier said the initiative emerged amid growing public suspicion of anomalies involving government officials and elected leaders in the implementation of flood mitigation projects.
“Our call is clear — investigate, expose and prosecute. This cannot be just another inquiry without accountability. Those proven guilty must face imprisonment,” Buenafe stressed.
The council vowed that its work will not be limited to fact-finding but will also push for concrete actions, including legal complaints and mass mobilization if necessary./CJ, WDJ