By Melvin C. Gascon
Massive flooding paralyzed Santiago City last week after torrential rains submerged homes, businesses, and major roads, with angry residents slamming the billions of pesos spent on flood control projects that appear to have failed.
Viral videos and photos posted on social media showed knee-deep waters along Maharlika Highway, mainly at the site of the newly renovated public market.
Families scrambled to save belongings as floodwaters entered their homes in barangays Dubinan, Rosario, Calao, and Mabini.
“This is the worst flooding we’ve seen in years. Where did all the money for flood control go?” one resident wrote in a Facebook post.
‘Probe flood projects’
The flooding comes as Isabela province faces mounting controversy over anomalous flood control projects.
Media reports have flagged contracts worth hundreds of millions of pesos allegedly awarded to “favored” contractors.
Many of these were supposedly reported “completed” but they did not stop Santiago from sinking underwater.
Records show that several multimillion-peso projects were implemented in Santiago City in just the past three years, according to data from https://sumbongsapangulo.ph/. Among them:
P96.5 million for two flood control structures in Barangay Calaocan, awarded to MA Tesoro Construction/EGB Construction Corporation in 2023;
- P94.57 million for a flood control project in Barangay Dubinan East, completed in August 2022 by Road Edge Trading & Development Services;
- P96.5 million each for flood control structures in Sinsayon and Nabbuan, also implemented by Road Edge Trading & Development Services in 2022;
- P72.37 million for a project along the Ganano River in Barangay Batal, handled by V.B. Manubay Construction in December 2022;
- P49 million for a flood control structure in Barangay Sinsayon, awarded to the same contractor, V.B. Manubay Construction, in October 2022; and
- Nearly P49 million each for flood control projects in barangays Cabulay and Divisoria, awarded to NTL Builders and Developer in 2023.
Contract patterns
Observers pointed out that several of these contracts were priced just below the P50-million threshold that requires stricter review — a common “red flag” for possible bid rigging.
“Billions have been poured into so-called flood control structures, but we’re sinking deeper in floodwaters,” a local business owner said in a viral Facebook live video.
Government response
City officials deployed disaster response teams to assist families and clear blocked roads, according to reports.
As of Sept. 4, some low-lying areas remained underwater, forcing the suspension of classes and government work.
Calls for accountability
The fresh flooding has intensified calls for a full probe into questionable flood control projects.
Civil society groups in Isabela said the disaster highlights the urgent need for accountability and effective flood mitigation measures that genuinely protect residents.
Sought for comment, DPWH acting Region 2 director Mathias Malenab clarified that while the questioned drainage projects were implemented by the regional office, these were undertaken during the tenure of his predecessor, the late Reynaldo Alconcel. #
