2-month-old river wall collapses in Marilao, Bulacan 

A river wall in Bulacan collapsed not more than two months after its completion amid continuous monsoon rains.

In a "24 Oras" report by Mariz Umali on Tuesday, residents witnessed the ground giving way. While they initially found it amusing, the kids soon realized that they were in danger.

“Akala po namin lumilindol lang po kaya ganun. Nagulat na lang kami biglang nalaglag yung yero,” witness Johanna Agapito said. (We thought it was just an earthquake. We were surprised when the steel fell.)

The children recalled being afraid, saying that they saw the walls collapsing. John Lloyd Roxas said that it seemed like hollow blocks were about to fall on them. The rain had not been that heavy by the time that the river wall collapsed.

Meiji Dobli, a homeowner along the river wall, said that she was scared that her house would also be affected.

“Nangamba po nung time na yun tsaka na-shock kasi nga baka pati kami madamay sa pagguho,” Dobli said.

(We were worried at the time and shocked that maybe we would also be pulled into the fall.)

Barangay chairperson Herbert Clemente said that whenever it rained, the ground around the river would slowly collapse.

“Pagka-gumuho ang mga lupa natin dito kasunod na ang mga bahay na ang susunod na babagsak kasama ng ilog matatangay na rin po sila,” Clemente said.

(If the ground gives away, the houses will also fall and be swept away by the river.)

Residents of Barangay Prenza II said that the river wall was not even two months old, having been officially finished on June 16. It cost around P5 million to make.

Local Rizza Magandingan was disappointed in the project, calling it “substandard.”

However, the project’s contractor, JB Construction, denied cutting corners.

“Hindi po siya substandard ang nangyari po diyan, isinunod po namin yung sa program of works, kung ano nakadesign, kung ano mga gamit na bakal, kapal ng semento. Siguro po kaya po nangyari itong pagguho dahil sa bigat ng tubig kasi po ang lupa nalagyan ng tubig bumibigat nang todo,” contractor James Wilson said.

(It is not substandard; what happened there is we followed the program of works, what was designed, what metal was to be used, the thickness of the cement. Perhaps this happened because of the weight of the water because the ground where the water was got really heavy.)

Wilson said that they will act on this immediately.

Marilao Mayor Jamina Sy said that she will have this matter investigated.

Data from the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website showed that there were 668 flood control projects in Bulacan. Altogether, they amount to P43.75 billion—the largest allotted to an area in the country.

Bulacan is treated as the epicenter of the flood control corruption scam, with the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office getting a project cost of P28.9 billion.

Former engineers from the office have come forward and said that they helped orchestrate a kickback scheme where officials and lawmakers colluded to funnel public funds into bogus flood control projects. —Jean Mangaluz/LDF, GMA News