NIA chief Guillen dared to resign over 'defects' on repaired irrigation projects

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Thursday challenged National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Eduardo Guillen to step down should it be proved that irrigation projects still showed defects after being repaired due to impact of typhoons.

During the Senate plenary debates on the proposed P54.79-billion budget of NIA for 2026, Tulfo questioned why there were irrigation projects being easily damaged during typhoons, saying the agency should have anticipated that the country is prone to disasters, thus infrastructure projects should be made to withstand those. 

"Sana gumawa kayo ng mga proyekto na it can withstand up to Signal No. 4. Period. Bakit Signal No. 3, 4, giba? Meron pa nga diyan Signal No. 2 lang nagigiba eh… Ibig sabihin, super mega substandard 'yung ginamit na mga materyales," Tulfo said. 

(I hope you made projects that can withstand typhoons up to Signal No. 4. Period. Why are there projects being damaged during Signal No. 3 or 4? There are even projects damaged only at Signal No. 2... That means, the materials used were super mega substandard.)

Specifically, Tulfo cited the Bulo small reservoir irrigation system in Bulacan, which he said was damaged when Typhoon Karding hit the country in 2023. The senator noted the project was completed only in 2022.

Even up to 2025, he said the irrigation project still "shows cracks, holes, and uncontrolled water loss along the canals."

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, who is the budget sponsor for NIA, said the repairs were finished by the contractor as of October 2025, "at no cost to the government." 

He said that the repairs were already inspected by the NIA regional office and were "accepted" by the irrigators association. 

"Mr. President, I'm not an expert, I'm not an engineer. Pero using common sense, hindi naman siguro ako puwedeng lokohin o 'yung mga taong nanonood sa atin ngayon. Ang nangyari niyan, nilagyan lang palitada, and then pininturahan. Kaunting kiskis para maging makinis. Gan'un ang ginawa ng NIA," Tulfo said.

(Mr. President, I'm not an expert, I'm not an engineer. But using common sense, I won't get fooled. What happened was they just put plaster over it, and then painted it. It was scraped to make it smooth. That's what the NIA did.) 

Pangilinan refuted this, citing answers from the NIA. 

"I give you a challenge—pupunta tayo, staff ko, staff mo (my staff and your staff will go there). Kapag napatunayan na patsi-patsi ang ginawa, someone has to resign (If it is proven that the repairs were substandard, someone has to resign). Are you willing to resign? Challenge taken. Good," Tulfo said. 

Pangilinan affirmed that Guillen accepted the offer, stressing that the official vouches for the integrity of the repairs made. 

"The NIA Administrator, upon the challenge of Senator Tulfo, said yes. One they're willing to go to the site and inspect it… And two if it is found out that in fact, as alleged by our good senator, that there are defects in the repairs, the administrator has said he is willing to resign," the budget sponsor said. 

Tulfo said the site inspection will be conducted next week, and that experts and engineers will be invited to observe. 

According to Pangilinan, the Senate committee report restored the National Expenditure Program (NEP) level funding for key items under the Irrigation Restoration Program. This included the national irrigation system sub-program at P10.077 billion, communal irrigation system sub-program at P5.023 billion, and other irrigation systems at P630.605 million.

The Irrigation Systems Development Program was also reinstated based on the NEP, including the extension/expansion of existing systems at P851 million, establishment of pump irrigation systems at P5.221 billion, and special irrigation sub-program at P2.099 billion. — VDV, GMA Integrated News