By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY – The Davao del Norte Provincial Government has flagged more than P1 billion worth of Department of Public Works and Highways projects for overpricing, construction defects, and poor planning, based on a 31-page inspection report submitted to national agencies last week.
Gov. Edwin I. Jubahib transmitted the report last week , marking a rare instance of a local government directly scrutinizing national public works. The findings covered 11 projects implemented by DPWH-11 and its district offices.
The governor cited the Tuganay Bridge system in Carmen which he said cost P516 million for a 420-meter, six-lane span — P1.23 million per meter, nearly 38 percent higher than the province’s bridge program. Although completed only in February 2024, engineers noted scaling and cracking on approaches and drainage blockages from poor materials.
Its counterpart, Tuganay Bridge No. 2, funded at P110 million and still under construction, has already developed cracks and scaling. Inspectors cited recycled debris, weak base layers, and ineffective traffic management. They recommended coring tests and waterway clearing to prevent flooding.
DPWH P150.28-million Malitbog–Kasilak–Consolacion section of the Tagum–Panabo Circumferential Road, completed in December 2022, had widespread scaling, potholes and cracks.
The provincial team urged DPWH Region XI to verify the defects and compel the contractor, MAC Builders, to make corrections within the warranty period.
The inspection 31-page report identified recurring problems across the province, such as preventive maintenance priced close to new construction; premature deterioration of bridges and roads within one to two years; planning failures causing project suspensions; and lack of transparency in financial reporting.
The province urged DPWH district offices to submit detailed financial accomplishment reports, convene coordination meetings with planners and contractors, and allow independent quality assurance testing.
Contractors identified in the report include R.A. Pahati Construction & Supply , Nueda Builders Construction & Supply,, MAC Builders, Hi-View Resources & Dev’t Corp./BJAM Prime JV, Rely Construction & Supply, and EACN Construction.
“The integrity of infrastructure and social service delivery depends on transparency and accountability,” the report said, stressing that poor planning and quality issues undermine public trust.
Earlier DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon ordered a sweeping audit of all the infrastructure projects facing delays, ballooning costs, and mounting public criticism during a press briefing on September 25 with the Davao media at the DPWH Engineering Office in Panacan in Davao City.
The DPWH Secretary directed DPWH-11 regional director Juby B. Cordon to submit a complete account of the Tuganay Bridge, calling it a prime example of inefficiency and alleged corruption in the agency. He stressed that the deeper issue is the agency’s pervasive corruption, which, he said, must be rooted out entirely.
In coordination with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure, Dizon announced that the department will conduct a comprehensive audit of regional projects that are stalled or lagging far behind their timelines.
The review will include the unfinished Ma-a Flyover in Davao City, which broke ground in April 2022 but has yet to be completed, along with major flood control initiatives in Mawab, Davao de Oro, and Nabunturan.
Dizon likewise instructed officials to submit records on a P900-million flood control project in Laverna, which has faced years of delay over right-of-way issues — an explanation which he says, is frequently invoked to conceal more serious problems. (Ivy Tejano)
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