‘Guni-guni’: Dizon can’t locate 3 Oriental Mindoro flood control projects

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon failed to locate at least three flood control projects in Oriental Mindoro that were listed in the 2024 national budget. 

Dizon was in the province to inspect the anomalous projects as he begins the cleansing of the DPWH. 

Listed in the 2024 General Appropriations Act were:

• Construction of road dike/esplanade along Panggalaan River (left side), Naujan, Oriental Mindoro worth P300 million,
• Construction of road dike/esplanade along Panggalaan River (right side), Naujan, Oriental Mindoro worth P250 million, and
• Construction of road dike along Mag-asawang Tubig River, Sitio Dike, Brgy. Apitong Section worth P200 million. 

But the alleged projects were nowhere to be found. 

“Guniguni. Wala akong proyektong nakikita dito. Baka merong may third eye sa inyo na may nakikitang flood control dito,” he said. 

(Fantasies. I don't see any projects here. Maybe somebody here has a third eye who will be able to sense the flood control projects.)

Provincial Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor said he has been trying to secure relevant documents from dismissed former DPWH Regional Director Gerald Pacanan, but has not been successful. 

Even Barangay Apitong Barangay Captain Mhelo Eleponga said there was no coordination from the regional office of the DPWH. 

Dizon said he would ask for Pacanan, who he was told was transferred to the central office amidst the flood control controversy. 

“Kasi kailangan nating malaman ‘yung buong istorya. Ano ba ‘to, napanaginipan lang bigla, na OK, magtayo tayo sa Naujan,” he said. 

(We need to know the whole story. What is this, did someone just decide OK, let's put something up in Naujan?) 

Dolor meanwhile said he would file charges against those responsible for a substandard 1.5-kilometer dike in Barangay Tagumpay that cost a total of P2.67 billion to build.

The two inspected the dike and personally measured the sheet pile which was supposed to be 12 meters long but were found to be less than three meters only. 

Pacanan signed off on the project, whose budget came from the 2023 and 2024 General Appropriations Act. 

The P2.67 billion was chopped into smaller contracts worth some P300 million each and awarded to Sunwest Inc., previously owned by Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Zaldy Co, and St. Timothy Construction Company and Elite General Contractor and Development Corporation. 

Dolor said the project was not coordinated by the DPWH Mimaropa Region and did not have the necessary permits from the local government. — BM, GMA Integrated News