Iloilo mayor wants flood control projects halted calls halt, review of flood control projects

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu has called for a halt and review of all ongoing flood control projects in this city, amid controversies involving companies linked to the Discaya family and questions over project design and implementation.

Among the projects Chu wants halted and reviewed is the one in Barangay Mohon in Arevalo District costing P91 million that was awarded to the Discaya-owned St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor and Development Corp.

Chu, after site inspection, said the project description does not match what is being built, noting that it only involves the construction of plant boxes in the middle of bicycle lanes.

“Some of the projects are the main reasons why we experience flooding here. They had projects supposedly for flood protection, but these are only bike lanes or access roads,” Chu said partly in Filipino.

Vital details such as the contract ID, start date and target completion date have not been disclosed in the project transparency report, she added.

Reports said that construction of the project started in January this year. 

Chu said the discovery of irregularities prompted her to call for a halt to the implementation and a comprehensive review of all flood control projects handled by the Discaya-linked firms.

Currently, five flood control projects are being constructed by three of nine Discaya-owned firms, including St. Timothy Construction Corp., Alpha and Omega General Contractor and Development Corp. and YPR General Contractor and Construction Supply.

Aside from the project in Mohon, Chu said the city government discovered that two Discaya-owned construction firms were operating without valid permits in constructing four flood control projects here. 

She said that St. Timothy and Alpha and Omega both failed to secure a mayor’s permit while undertaking projects of the Iloilo City District Engineering Office.

Chu said the firms were compelled to pay more than P3.1 million in taxes after she raised the issue.

Earlier, President Marcos criticized the delays and poor implementation of flood control projects following his inspection of two flood mitigation projects in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro District.