An official of Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte has raised concerns over a flood control project worth nearly P30 million that sustained damage despite being relatively new.

Kauswagan Vice Mayor Rommel Arnado inspected several barangays in the town where the Department of Public Works and Highways-Northern Mindanao (DPWH-10) implemented flood control projects.

One of these projects, located at the boundary of Barangay Kawit Oriental and Barangay Kawit Occidental, was found with visible damage.

Alleged inconsistencies in the work carried out by different contractors were also observed.

“Very weak ang quality ng pagka construction at noong tiningnan ko ang ilalim walang mga bakal at all at yung mga tubo na pinapasok sa riprap mga 6 inches long lang dapat ito tagos sa gitna o ilalim,” Arnado said.

The concern has reached the DPWH-10 First District Engineering Office, and measures to address the issue are underway.

DPWH-10 explained that the project was completed in 2018, and the damages found during an inspection in January 2024 were attributed to typhoons that had struck the area.

The agency added that the project’s warranty had already expired that year, releasing the contractor from repair obligations.

The complaint was forwarded through the Isumbong Mo sa Pangulo website on September 10, 2025, and repairs on the damaged portions began on September 15.

“We are happy that we now have the ICI that can focus on the investigation dahil kung hindi pa natin magagawa ito patuloy parin ang pagnanakaw ang pag take advantage sa pera ng tao,” Arnado said.

DPWH-10 maintained that there are no irregularities in its projects and assured that it is willing to cooperate in any investigations to be conducted by the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI).