BUTUAN CITY – Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon didn’t hold back his exasperation during a site inspection in Surigao del Norte on Tuesday, slamming local Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials for overseeing unfinished infrastructure projects that have languished despite being declared complete years ago. The visit, part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s nationwide directive to audit public works, uncovered glaring discrepancies – from bridges stalled since 2021 to a flood control system that’s a far cry from its reported 95% completion – fueling demands for swift accountability and a deeper dive into potential contractor foul play.
The spotlight fell on Pilar municipality, where Dizon’s team zeroed in on the Maasin and Asinan bridges – twin spans over local rivers that kicked off construction in 2021 and were officially stamped “done” in 2022. What they found? Barely a shell: Scaffolding rusting in the rain, concrete pours half-hearted, and workers nowhere in sight. “What is the reason? Don’t fool me. Why is no one working here?” Dizon fumed to the officials, his frustration boiling over in a mix of English and Filipino that echoed the disappointment of communities still waiting for safer crossings.
The plot thickened in Barangay Tuburan, Del Carmen town, where a flood control project – touted at 95% complete in reports – revealed itself as a mere 35% effort upon closer scrutiny. Dikes half-built, drainage channels clogged with neglect, and riprap stones scattered like forgotten promises. Dizon, flanked by regional engineers and contractors, didn’t mince words: “This isn’t progress; it’s procrastination.” The secretary wasted no time, ordering an immediate investigation into the delays and zeroing in on the contractor’s alleged ties to Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco “Bingo” Matugas. “We need answers, and we need them fast – no more excuses,” he directed, tasking the DPWH’s internal affairs with a full probe into procurement lapses and fund flows.
This isn’t Dizon’s first rodeo in the graft-riddled trenches. The inspection aligns with Marcos’ post-Uwan mandate to comb through every public works project, a response to the P20-billion flood control scandal that’s unearthed ghost builds, kickbacks, and subpar scams leaving Filipinos vulnerable to every typhoon’s tantrum. In Surigao del Norte – a province where monsoons turn roads to rivers and bridges to bottlenecks – the unfinished spans aren’t just eyesores; they’re endangering lives and livelihoods, from farmers ferrying harvests to students chasing school buses.
Dizon’s on-site ire isn’t isolated theater; it’s a tipping point in a national narrative of neglect. The Maasin and Asinan bridges, budgeted at P300 million combined, were meant to link isolated hamlets to markets, but two years post-“completion,” they’re more hazard than help. The Tuburan flood wall, a P150-million bulwark against seasonal swells, mocks its mandate with its half-hearted height. “These aren’t delays; they’re deceptions,” Dizon pressed, vowing to expedite finishes and enforce penalties that sting – from blacklisting contractors to clawing back funds.
For Pilar’s 35,000 residents – many still scarred by Typhoon Carina’s 2024 deluge – Dizon’s visit feels like a long-overdue reckoning. “We’ve waited years for these bridges; every rain reminds us of the wait,” sighed one local fisher, his voice heavy with the weight of washed-out hopes. As the probe unfolds, Matugas’ camp has yet to respond, but the congressman’s silence speaks volumes in a province where politics and public works walk hand in hand.
In a year of floods and fury – from Uwan’s wrath to the Trillion Peso March’s roar – Dizon’s damning discovery in Surigao del Norte isn’t just a local lament; it’s a national wake-up. As the secretary storms off to the next site, one truth rings clear: In the Philippines’ endless battle against the waters, unfinished works aren’t just unfinished – they’re unforgivable.