Contrary to the Duterte family’s claim that Davao City has no anomalous flood control projects, Kilab Multimedia, an alternative filmmakers group in the city, discovered two large-scale projects that remain unfinished and defective. These have caused hardships to farmers and Davaoeños.
One of these is the DPWH flood control project in one part of Barangay Bunawan, which began in 2021 and remains unfinished to date. The DPWH only casually piled rocks beside the barangay without building any structure. A resident interviewed by the group said knee-deep flooding in the barangay still happens regularly. The government also provides no financial assistance to farmers for damaged crops.
Residents regarded the project as “substandard” that is nothing more than a pile of stones stacked together and labeled as a flood control project.
They were also promised the construction of a hanging bridge in the barangay, but the government is yet to take action. Residents said that the funds were clearly pocketed.
Kilab found the said flood control project on the list of projects on the Sumbong sa Pangulo website. From 2016 to 2024, it was allocated millions in budget each year, reaching a total of ₱1.79 billion.
Another project is located in Bucana, Lasang, Davao City. Based on the group’s research, ₱49 million was allocated for the Bucana River flood control revetment project. Its contractor was the Discaya couple’s Alpha & Omega General Contractor and Development Corporation. Interviewed residents said the project should have been completed in 2019, but it took another five years before it was declared finished. Months after its completion, cracks already appeared, as the structure lacked rebars or steel reinforcement.
“They only piled up rocks and poured cement,” one resident said. Building concrete structures this way is reportedly common. The structure did not last long, and part of it has already collapsed.
“Materials were short, and the delays were many,” another resident criticized.
Frequent and intense flooding in their barangay often heavily devastate their livelihoods.
Linked to the flood control is a sea wall project in Lasang with a ₱49 million fund, awarded to Glenn Escandor’s Genesis88 Construction Inc. It remains unfinished to date, though it should have been completed by 2022, according to the interview. Because of this, seawater still floods many homes in the area. Escandor is known to be close to the Dutertes and a contributor to Sara Duterte’s 2022 campaign.
Residents are calling to hold accountable the perpetrators of the unfinished and substandard projects.
