Parts of unfinished P121-M flood control project in CamSur collapse during storms

A municipal mayor has raised concerns over an unfinished flood control project along the Rangas River in San Jose, Camarines Sur, as portions collapse whenever there is a storm.

According to Mark Salazar’s Wednesday report on “24 Oras,” the construction of the said flood control project has been allegedly slow.

“‘Pag naglagay ka kasi ng utal-utal, masusundan siya after three years, four years. Nandyan na ‘yung bagyo. ‘Yung dating maikli na nilagay mong riprap, tatamaan nanaman ng bagyo at iikutan ng tubig. Giba nanaman,” San Jose Mayor Jerold Peña told GMA Integrated News.

(When you build portion by portion, the next progress might come in three to four years. By then, the storms have already come, and the small amount of riprap that were initially installed will have been damaged by the water, causing them to collapse again.)

He added that when tropical cyclone Kristine hit their area, a large part of the unfinished riprap collapsed.

According to Peña, the foundation of the Bugay Bridge is also affected by the damaged riprap.

“Yung ilalim ng foundation ng bridge, ‘yung poste medyo nakakalkal ng tubig kasi ‘dun umiikot ang tubig. ‘Dun nagsisimula ‘yun. ‘Pag nasira yun, mas problema sa amin. Isa sa secondary arterial road yung Pugay section. ‘Pag na-paralyze kami, apektado ‘yung transport ng buong distrito namin papuntang Naga kasi isa ‘yun sa economic highway namin,” Peña said.

(The soil beneath the bridge’s foundation is gradually being eroded by the water current that now passes there. That's where the problem starts. Once it becomes damaged, it becomes a bigger issue for us. The Pugay section is part of a secondary arterial road. If we become paralyzed, the entire district’s transport to Naga is affected, because that’s one of our key economic highways.)

GMA Integrated News reached out to the Department of Public Works and Highways District Office (DPWH) district office but was referred to the agency’s regional officer.

However, DPWH Region 5 Office did not answer any calls.

Based on the onsite project board, the flood control project’s contractor is the Alro Construction and Development Corporation, with a cost of P121.68 million.

The Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board data showed that the father of 1-Rider party-list Representative Rodge Gutierrez is the authorized managing officer of Alro Construction.

GMA Integrated News has reached out to Gutierrez and Alro Construction for their side on the issue.— Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News