Barangay council seeks probe, accountability in P91-M flood control project
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Barangay councilors of Candating in Arayat town urged the provincial government and national agencies to conduct an investigation and accountability of the P91-million flood control project following the damage brought by the recent heavy rains.
Councilors Joseph Hipolito, Jace Pineda, and Arnold Alicuman, along with Manny Mariano, Riza Gutierrez, and Gonzalo Mesa, have signed an open letter requesting assistance to investigate the cause of the collapse of the newly constructed slope protection, which was built by Edmarri Construction and Trading.
“Kami bilang kinatawan ng mga mamamayan ng Candating, Arayat, Pampanga ay lubos na ipinaaabot sa ating mga manunungkulan at awtoridad ang aming mariin na panawagan na magkaroon ng angkop at patas na imbestigation hinggil sa proyektong ito na nagkakahalagang P91,485,522.95,” said Pineda in a media forum with the Central Luzon Media Association – Pampanga chapter on Tuesday, September 10.
“Ito ay napakalaking halaga ng pera ng ating bayan na nasayang lamang at higit sa lahat ay nagdulot pa ng perwisyo at kapahamakan sa aming mga kabaryo,” he added.
Pineda stressed that there should be an assessment of the sheet piles used in the project and noted that the safety and well-being of nearby residents are also at risk.
Nearly 25 households are affected, with some families already having been forced to leave their homes due to the threat posed by the collapse of the said project.
“Dahil sa nasabing pagguho ng parte ng slope protection project ay nalagay sa kapahamakan ang higit sa 10 pamilya na naninirahan malapit sa nasabing istraktura,” Pineda said.
According to the Kagawads, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Edmarri Construction only engage with the village chief and dismiss their concerns, undermining their status as new public officials.
“Ala kaming akakasabing contractor karin. Lalabas la ngan keng capitan mi,” they said.
The DPWH, in August, has acknowledged the structural failure based on their initial assessment.
In a separate media interview, Edmarri Construction assured that it will repair the damages at no additional cost to the government.