This is one of the flood-control related projects personally inspected by the chief executive.
On Sunday, August 24, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally inspected the rock shed project along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, where he was accompanied by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Tuba Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan, and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
However, in an outburst, he described it as “totally useless,” as the supposed slope protection disintegrated and did not prevent the soil collapse and rock fall caused by Typhoon Emong and monsoon rains last July.
As a result, Kennon Road, which is a major thoroughfare connecting the town and the nearby Baguio City, has been closed.
“Here is the problem here, this 260 million project – useless. Parang tinapon mo ‘yung pera sa ilog. Useless,” the President said.
He furthered, “I think you can see for yourself na talagang hindi trinabaho nang mabuti ito dahil ‘yung ginawang slope protection supposedly dito ay bumigay na.”
The 152-meter, two-lane rock shed project has a contract cost of PHP264.19 million that started construction in 2023 and reportedly completed in 2025.
“The 260 million that the government spent for this project had no effect whatsoever as to protect the slope. Parang walang ginawa… Kaya ang balor ng kanilang trabaho is zero, complete zero,” Marcos lamented.
President Marcos estimated reconstructing the project would cost the government at least twice the original amount, or at least PHP500 million.
President Marcos has since ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to reinstitute the standard operating procedure (SOP) of getting the acceptance of local government units (LGUs) before declaring a public works project as complete, in order to prevent corruption and ensure quality projects.
“Tinanggal ‘yung SOP na ‘yun. The SOP is that before you release the project to the local government, kailangan tanggapin ng local government. And that’s something that we will reinstitute. Iyon ang ibabalik natin,” he said.
The President also mulls the filing of economic sabotage case against the contractor, citing that the road closure and the economic loss to businesses and people’s livelihoods have caused 35 percent of the eonom, based on local government’s estimate.
Marcos told, “It is not only the physical damage that we can see, but it is also the damage to the economy. It is also the damage to the people’s livelihood.”
This was the latest flood control project inspected by President Marcos since launching last August 11 the Sumbong sa Pangulo website for corruption-tainted flood control projects.
Marcos said, “Those are the things we have to correct. Over the years, these abuses only came about kasi pinalitan ang sistema and dinadaya talaga.”
“If there’s one thing, I will not leave this office until I fix this,” President Marcos underscored his commitment to go after contractors and officials responsible for these projects.