PANITAN, CAPIZ – Barangay officials of Ambilay, Panitan, Capiz are calling on Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon to personally look into the unfinished river control project in their area, which has remained incomplete since construction began in August 2024.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo Roxas, Barangay Captain Juan Deita Baulite said that aside from the DPWH Secretary, he is also hoping that officials from the DPWH Regional Office or even the Capiz 1st District Engineering Office will inspect the long-delayed project, which is intended to protect residents from flooding.
Based on the DPWH transparency portal, the project titled Construction of Flood Mitigation Facilities along Panay/Mambusao River Basin, Ambilay River Control, Panitan, Capiz had a contract effectivity date of August 7, 2024.
The total contract cost of the project is more than P67 million. Construction officially started on August 7, 2024, according to DPWH monitoring records.
However, the contract had an expiry date of June 17, 2025, which means it has already expired last year under the contractor JASA GD 2000 Construction Corporation, formerly known as JASA Builders.
DPWH monitoring reports show that the project has only reached 58.49 percent completion. Barangay Captain Baulite expressed surprise after learning that data submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman by DPWH indicated a higher accomplishment rate of 71 percent.
Baulite added that just yesterday, a backhoe and construction workers returned to the area after barangay officials were invited by the Office of the Ombudsman, raising questions among residents about the true status of the long-delayed river control project.
