A P101.32-million flood control project in Lapuz district, Iloilo City has been scrapped after stalling for more than two years, with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) blaming unresolved obstructions and the failure to relocate informal settlers.
The Mansaya Creek rehabilitation (Contract ID No. 23G00051) was meant to cover 2,396 lineal meters across Barangays Lapuz Norte, Don Esteban, and Sinikway. It was designed at 14.5 meters wide and three meters high.
On September 16, DPWH-6 officially terminated the contract, awarded in February 2023 to YPR Gen. Contractor and Construction Supply Inc., owned by Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya.
In a September 18 letter to Mayor Raisa Treñas, then-DPWH regional director Joel Limpengco admitted the project had become “inaccessible” and “beyond the agency’s control.”
“The primary challenges include the persistent presence of obstructions, notably the non-removal of informal settlers, and the consequent inaccessibility of the project site,” Limpengco wrote. He said that despite “diligent efforts,” work could not move forward.
Records showed that the contract started on February 10, 2023, with a target completion of March 27, 2024. But by the time it was terminated, progress stood at only 0.02 percent.
A 2024 report from the City Local Housing Office identified at least 63 families living as informal settlers along Mansaya Creek. They were supposed to be relocated to Barangay San Isidro, Jaro, but the relocation plan never pushed through.
The project also faced regulatory hurdles. It was among eight contracts flagged by the Environmental Management Bureau, which ordered a review and temporarily suspended its permit processing with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Treñas lamented the collapse of the project, warning that poor coordination between national and local agencies wastes public resources.
“Projects for our people should not go to waste,” she said. “Stronger collaboration between national agencies, the local government, and barangay officials is vital to ensure these are completed.”
The mayor stressed that had DPWH engaged barangay leaders and city hall more closely, obstacles could have been addressed earlier.
The shelved creek rehabilitation was designed to improve flood control in one of Iloilo City’s most flood-prone areas. Its cancellation leaves Lapuz residents vulnerable as the city braces for heavier rains and climate-driven flooding.IMT
