By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In response to remarks of frustration and anger from Cebu Provincial Governor Pamela Baricuatro in a social media post lamenting recent widespread floods in the Visayan Island province, the Palace called for a review of more than 500 flood control projects in the area to assess their effectiveness.
At the Malacañang press briefing on Wednesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro mentioned data from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regarding the tally of flood mitigation infrastructures in Cebu.
“Since 2016-2022, lumalabas po na 343 flood control projects ang nagawa, 2 po ang terminated dito—at sa panahon po na 2023-2025, mayroon pong 168 at ang ongoing pa po ay 55.”
Citing such data vis-à-vis inundation of houses and other properties in the Visayan island province, Castro pointed out that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. shares the same sentiments with Governor Baricuatro, reiterating that these circumstances are the driving force behind the Chief Executive’s revelation and mandate to launch a probe into the ‘ghost’ and anomalous flood control projects in the country.
The Palace mouthpiece, moreover, encouraged Baricuatro to cooperate with the government and share any useful information that may be used to unravel the truth behind this pressing national concern and hold those responsible accountable for their deeds.
Castro told the media, “At hindi lamang po sa panahon ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. na flood control projects ang dapat malaman, dahil lumalabas po kanina yung initial data natin na 343 flood control projects ang nagawa since 2016-2022 sa Cebu—mula sa 1st District, 2nd District, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, hanggang sa city.
She declared, “So dapat din po itong makita kasi mayroon pong mahigit 343 flood control projects noon pa man, dapat po sana ay gumagana ito so pagtulong-tulungan po natin na mahanap ang dapat mapanagot sa maanomalyang flood control projects.”
The Palace official concluded her remarks by announcing the President’s upcoming visit to personally assess the devastation left behind by Typhoon Tino in Cebu, which is still recovering from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that rocked the Visayan island province in October.
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