A flood-control dike in San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro, worth P380 million, has begun to deteriorate only two years after its construction, raising concerns about the quality of the project.
According to a report by 24 Oras and GMA Integrated News, portions of the Subaan River dike have already cracked and collapsed, with some sections sinking after floodwaters eroded the soil foundation beneath the thin concrete layer. The damage first appeared in 2024, and barangay officials confirmed that more areas were washed away during the Southwest Monsoon last July.
Barangay Bigaan captain Sonny Ilagan said they immediately alerted the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) when cracks started appearing. “Nagkaroon ng bitak yung kanilang gawa tapos inano namin sa taga-DPWH, sa mga engineer. Ngayon po parang inayos nila, may retouch-retouch. Tapos nagkaroon ng disaster, nagkaroon ng baha dun na lumaki, gumuho na po,” he said.
Local engineers also noted that the structure was poorly built. Philip Garcia of San Teodoro’s engineering office pointed out that the concrete “did not withstand” the strong floodwaters, while Councilor Kim Aspecto stressed that the design was unsuitable for the river’s current. “Sa isang tingin po namin ay hindi siya angkop doon sa lugar ‘tsaka dun sa volume at current ng tubig na dumadaloy dito… Siguro mas magiging matibay po ito kung mas malaki yung mga bakal,” he explained.
The project, divided into three phases, was awarded to three separate contractors. Among them was Newbig Four J Construction Inc., which secured nearly P145 million for Phase 1 despite being previously blacklisted for poor performance in past government projects. Another company, Road Edge Trading and Development Services, also had a record of unsatisfactory evaluations.
