By CESAR JOLITO III
Authorities have launched an investigation into dozens of flood control projects in Bacolod City after a newly built river wall collapsed at the height of Severe Tropical Storm “Opong,” raising fresh concerns about the quality of multi-million peso government infrastructure.
Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director Colonel Joeresty Coronica said they are reviewing 39 flood control projects implemented in the city since 2022, following orders from Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. and at the request of Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon.
“We’ve already started last week, and we will be concluding anytime soon,” Coronica said, adding that their findings will be forwarded directly to the PNP national office.
Coronica stressed that their investigation is separate from a parallel review by a local citizens’ group.
The Council of Concerned Citizens (C3), a Bacolod-based watchdog, earlier flagged six projects worth more than P573 million, including the P96.5-million flood wall on Lupit River in Barangay 40 that gave way last September 26 as strong currents swelled the riverbanks.
C3 convener Cesar Beloria said the collapsed section had been completed only on February 15, 2024, just 19 months earlier, by Legacy Construction Corporation (LCC) in a joint venture with MKU Construction and Supply.
Beloria noted that their group gathered documents through the government’s Sumbong sa Pangulo portal.
Meanwhile, Mayor Greg Gasataya has formally asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to explain the collapsed portion of the flood control infrastructure.
DPWH-Bacolod District acting head Engineer Leah Jamero has yet to issue a statement.
LCC, owned by the Abelido family from Pasig City, has figured in previous controversies.
An earlier investigation reported that the company, one of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “top contractors” for flood control projects, received poor or unsatisfactory ratings for works in Capiz, Antique, Baguio, and Bacolod between 2019 and 2020.
Aside from the Lupit River project, C3 flagged five other flood control structures — including revetments and flood walls along the Magsungay, Ngalan, Bakyas, and Loygoy rivers, as well as a flood wall and esplanade along the Sum-ag River.
These were completed between January and December 2024, clustered among just three contractors, and have shown signs of damage despite being only about a year old.
C3 said it will forward its findings and recommendations to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure for further action./CJ, WDJ