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QC gov't: Only 2 of 254 DPWH flood control projects approved
The Quezon City government on Friday said it approved only two out of 254 monitored flood control projects by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In a press conference, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the combined cost of these flood control projects from 2021 to 2025 is P14 billion.
Belmonte raised concerns over some of these DPWH projects for issues such as wrong locations, uncertain sites, same contracts costs, declared as completed but still ongoing, and generic project titles.It was also found that at least one project was divided into 66 phases.
"May iba na hindi tiyak kung saan ang project site kung pagbabasehan ang project title, kaya mahirap tukuyin kung talagang nagawa o natapos ang proyekto," Belmonte said.
(Some projects have uncertain project sites based on the project title, so it is difficult to determine whether the project has actually been completed or not.)
"Mayroon na rin mga proyekto na parehong-pareho ang approved budget for the contract o ABC, o parehong-pareho ang contract cost kahit iba-iba ang lokasyon. Tila bang may template lamang na ginamit," the mayor said.
(Some projects have the same approved budget for the contract or ABC, or the same contract cost, even though the location is different. It seems like a template is being used.)
She added, "May mga projects din na dineklara nang completed pero nu'ng binisita namin ang site, nakita namin na ongoing pa ang pagpapagawa."
(Some projects were declared completed but when we visited the site, we saw that construction was still ongoing.)
According to Maki Pulido’s report on “24 Oras,” the DPWH had constructed two pumping stations on the boundary of Barangays Santa Cruz and Mariblo. Each of the two projects, which face one another, cost more than P282 million.
But both pumping stations were not approved by the local government, as they did not comply with the city’s drainage master plan.
“Wala po tayong inaaprubahan na [pumping] station kasi yung flooded area natin ay hindi naman coastal, hindi naman tayo coastal. So kung ipa-pump mo lang siya from one place to another eh di lilipat lang yung baha. Ang tingin namin na solusyon ay more on detention and retention basins,” said QC Engineering Department head Mark Dale Perral.
(We did not approve a [pumping] station because our flooded area is not coastal; we are not a coastal area. So if you just pump it from one place to another, the floodwaters will just move. We believe the solution is having detention and retention basins.)
GMA Integrated News is trying to reach out to Alrie Construction Services, the contractor behind the two pumping stations, for a comment.
In a message to GMA News Online, the National Capital Region (NCR) office of DPWH declined to comment, saying that it is still gathering verified information on the matter.
"We are still coordinating with our District Offices in QC, and we are awaiting their respective reports. But once we have verified the info, and received the reports from our District Offices, we will update you," the DPWH-NCR said.
Further evaluation
Belmonte said the QC government is planning to work with the University of the Philippines (UP) Resilience Institute for a more thorough evaluation of the projects.
"As we move forward with this information, we intend to work with the UP Resilience Institute to further evaluate projects that communities have deemed ineffective or identified to have worsened flooding," Belmonte said.
The mayor also vowed to cooperate with the investigation into flood control projects.
"Hangad namin na mapanagot ang mga taong responsable sa mga anomalya kaugnay ng flood control projects sa ating lungsod (We seek to hold accountable those responsible for anomalies related to flood control projects in our city). Thus, we will cooperate in every possible way with the investigating agencies assigned by the President," Belmonte said. — with Vince Angelo Ferreras/VDV/VBL, GMA Integrated News
