DPWH to hold new bidding for unfinished flyover project
by William B. Depasupil,Rhaydz Barcia on February 2, 2026 at 4:08 PM
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will call for a new bidding for the long-delayed Malabog flyover project in Daraga, Albay.Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said on Monday that the P44.663 million project has been left unfinished by the contractor after it was awarded in August 2021 when it should have been completed in 187 days.”The project was started in 2021, but to date the project has not been completed, which was supposed to ease traffic from Bicol International Airport to Maharlika Highway,” Dizon said following an onsite inspection of the project.However, on a Facebook post, dated Feb. 27, 2025, the DPWH in Region 5 (Bicol Region) claimed that “the project has been completed on Dec. 15, 2022, with all the project components visible on site or underground.””Hence, the Phase 1 of the Malabog Flyover under Contract ID 21FOOO84 is a finished project,” the Facebook post said.Dizon noted that the project was first awarded to Hi-Tone Construction and Development Corp., a contractor firm owned by Christopher Co, brother of former Ako-Bicol representative Zaldy Co., but it was transferred in 2024 to the joint venture of Alpha & Omega and Next Generation Construction and Supply Corp.Based on record, the project’s funding came from the 2021 national budget in the amount of P63.58 million.Under the new contract, the project should be completed within a 220-day period, but it was also not completed.Hi-Tone was among the Top 15 contractors named by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as having cornered a combined P100 billion — or roughly 20 percent — of the P545 billion budget for flood control projects awarded between July 2022 and May 2025.Dizon also said he has already canceled the contract for the project to give way for the holding of a new bidding.“It turns out to be the Discaya project. This is Alpha Omega. So we are terminating it. So this February, we will bid for a new one,” added Dizon. “There is funding for this in 2026 [national budget].”Dizon assured that under his watch, the Malabog Flyover project would be completed at the shortest possible time to ease the burden of the motorists using the road network.”We just need to bid, terminate Discaya, and we will finish it. Maybe we can do it in one year, one year and a half,” he added.”This follows the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure that all public infrastructure is completed by private contractors within the set timeline and government agreement,” the DPWH chief said.Albay Gov. Noel Rosal, meanwhile, said that the unfinished project is subject to controversies as its lack of study.“There is no landing area space and is constructed without public consultation, specifically to the residents whose houses will be hit,” the governor said.Rosal, who is also the Regional Development Council chairman for Bicol, pointed out that the purpose of the project is to ease traffic going to the Bicol International Airport, but the flyover is actually far from the airport.“We don’t know the purpose of this project, which has been stalled for years,” Rosal said.Rosal said the Albayanos call the unfinished project in Barangay Malabog, Daraga town, the “Albay Stonehenge.”“What we see are 4 piers, 7 girders and one abutment. That’s why people call it Albay’s Stonehenge,” he said.
Bangus hatchery project launched in Bolinao
by Janice Hidalgo on February 2, 2026 at 4:07 PM
BOLINAO, Pangasinan — In a major push to strengthen the country’s milkfish industry and address the persistent shortage of bangus fry, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the provincial government of Pangasinan broke ground for the construction of a bangus breeding and hatchery facility in this coastal town on Saturday.The project, funded under the Philippine Rural Development Project-Scale Up (PRDP-SU) with support from the World Bank, carries a total cost of P238.99 million and is the first of its kind in Pangasinan.It is expected to benefit 17 local government units and more than 40,000 fisherfolk belonging to various cooperatives and associations across the province.The groundbreaking ceremony was led by DA Regional Field Office 1 Executive Director Fidel Libao, representing Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., and Gov. Ramon Guico III.Libao said the facility is the result of four years of planning, technical studies, and interagency coordination, finally culminating in the start of construction.“This project marks a very important milestone. It is a strategic response to the limited supply of bangus fry, and it was made possible through strong leadership and close partnership among government agencies,” Libao said.“Once operational, it will greatly help our fisherfolk produce quality bangus and improve their productivity and income.”Guico, for his part, said the project is a cornerstone of the provincial government’s program to empower local fish growers by lowering production costs and ensuring a stable and high-quality supply of fry.“This project seeks to provide an adequate, continuous and quality supply of bangus fry through Pangasinan’s own breeding and hatchery facilities,” Guico said.“This will strengthen the fisheries industry, reduce production expenses, and lessen dependence on imported fry.”Guico also said that the province will now have the infrastructure needed to sustain the milkfish industry.“This hard infrastructure is already here, and the broodstock that we have nurtured for seven years will now support this facility and ensure its long-term success,” Guico said.He added that the initiative is the product of years of technical studies and consultations with bangus experts and the DA, in close coordination with the Provincial Agriculture Office.“This is meant to ease the burden of our fisherfolk, help them maximize their investments, and give them a clearer direction toward sustainable livelihood,” Guico said.“It reflects our commitment to listen to their needs and act on them.”During the event, the governor also expressed gratitude to the Celeste family for donating two hectares of land for the development of a district hospital, saying the gesture will significantly strengthen health services in the area.“We sincerely thank the Celeste family for their generosity. Their donation of a two-hectare property will help us bring better and more accessible health care to our people through the establishment of a district hospital,” Guico said.Pangasinan remains the country’s top producer of bangus, with an average annual output of more than 105,000 metric tons from 2015 to 2019.Despite this, only about 19 percent of the province’s estimated 615 million fry requirement is currently met by existing hatcheries and wild sources, resulting in a wide supply gap.The Bolinao-based hatchery is projected to produce 148.8 million bangus fry annually, equivalent to about 30 percent of the province’s total requirement, significantly narrowing the deficit.The facility will have an annual capacity of 100.78 million fry and 48.05 million larvae.Seventeen municipalities, along with Dagupan City, identified as major bangus-producing areas, are expected to directly benefit from the project.Local fisherfolk welcomed the development, expressing optimism that the new hatchery will stabilize fry supply, improve their livelihoods, and boost economic activity in Bolinao and the rest of Pangasinan.
Cebu City loses P6.5M daily on wasted water
by Kaiser Jan Fuentes on February 2, 2026 at 4:06 PM
CEBU CITY — Water that never reaches a faucet is draining millions of pesos from this city each day.Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival asked Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) Board Chairman Ruben Almendras to prioritize the reduction of non-revenue water (NRW), which he said is costing the city up to P6.5 million daily.Archival said the issue topped the agenda during his first meeting with Almendras following the latter’s return as MCWD chairman. Both agreed to focus on water losses in the system, particularly the gap between the volume of bulk water supplied and the amount actually consumed.The mayor said bulk water providers deliver about 300,000 cubic meters of water to MCWD every day, but only around 200,000 cubic meters reach consumers. The remaining 100,000 cubic meters are lost daily due to wastage, leaks, or other inefficiencies.“Non-revenue, mao nay pasabot nga walay revenue or kadaghanan nawa’ or wastage (Non-revenue means there is no revenue, or that most of it is lost or wasted),” Archival said, explaining that the losses amount to about P6.5 million a day.He said recovering the lost water could immediately bolster funding for water services. “Kung ma-cure sa city and MCWD ang P6.5 million, dili ‘ni malabay, source na ‘ni sa tubig daan (If the city and MCWD are able to fix the P6.5 million loss, it will no longer go to waste and can already serve as a source of funds for water services),” Archival said, describing NRW reduction as a “low-hanging fruit.”He said the city continues to explore new water sources but emphasized the importance of protecting water that is already available and paid for, yet is being wasted. He noted that water the city already owns should not be allowed to go to waste.Almendras officially resumed his post as MCWD chairman on Jan. 29. He previously served as chairman from 1995 to 2004 and was reappointed to the civic sector seat in December 2025 by Archival, restoring quorum to the MCWD board after months of uncertainty.Almendras said MCWD’s fundamental problem is that the cost of water exceeds the revenue from water sold, citing high bulk water costs, non-revenue water from leakages and pilferage estimated at 32 percent, and delayed rate adjustments. He warned that the utility has suffered years of net losses and negative cash flow, stressing the urgent need to address profitability and liquidity to sustain services for over 200,000 connections across Metro Cebu.While Archival’s direct appointment of Almendras has revived debate over executive influence, observers view Almendras’ return as a stabilizing move as MCWD grapples with financial losses, aging infrastructure and supply instability.
Group raises red flag over costly Antique road project
by Rjay Zuriaga Castor on February 2, 2026 at 4:05 PM
ILOILO CITY — A civil society group has raised concern that the multimillion-peso Pandan-Ibajay road project may be designed less for community development and more for future mining operations, citing unusually high costs and oversized road works.Amlig Alliance Antique alleged that the four-phase gravel road project that cuts through the Pandan-Ibajay corridor could be among the most expensive of its kind in the country.“Amlig estimates that certain segments of the project cost as much as P175,000 per linear meter, despite remaining largely unpaved,” the group said in a statement on Jan. 29.“These figures are based on the working assumption that the reported project budgets have been fully released and utilized as stated. If this assumption is inaccurate, DPWH must publicly clarify the actual disbursements, scope adjustments, and cost breakdowns to dispel public concern,” it added.Data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) show that a 5,913-hectare mining tenement of Calbayog Mining & Development Corp. overlaps areas within the Pandan-Ibajay corridor.The company’s mining application — an Application for Financial or Technical Assistance (AFTA) — was filed on March 27, 1996, initially covering parts of Malay, Buruanga, and Nabas in Aklan, as well as Libertad and Pandan in Antique. Target minerals include gold, silver, copper and lead.As of December 2025, however, the MGB-6 tenement control map shows that the firm’s Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) application is now concentrated in Pandan, Antique, and Ibajay, Aklan.An AFTA is the preliminary step toward securing an FTAA, which allows large-scale mining operations, including up to 100 percent foreign ownership, for a period of 25 years subject to renewal and presidential approval.DPWH shows that four contracts worth a total of P489 million have been issued for the Pandan-Ibajay Road since 2019.The first phase in 2019 was undertaken through a joint venture between A.M. Oreta & Co. Inc. and Allencon Development Corp. Three remaining phases were implemented by IBC International Builders Corp.Amlig pointed out that field verification on Phase 1 of the project shows that only about 2.8 kilometers are currently passable.These sections are characterized mainly by bare earth and loose stones, with visible landslides along slopes and siltation affecting nearby creeks.At current figures, the group said that the project reflects an average expenditure of more than P100,000 per linear meter — cost levels typically associated with concrete highways rather than rural gravel roads.The environmental watchdog also pointed out that Phase 3 of the project covers an estimated 650-meter stretch with a reported contract cost of P115 million, which is equivalent to roughly P175,000 per meter.The group also noted that this phase included the procurement of a P1.6 million pickup truck, an expense Amlig described as disproportionate to a road segment that can be traversed on foot in minutes.“These figures are not presented as findings of wrongdoing, but as red flags that demand explanation,” Amlig said.Amlig also pointed out that satellite imagery and field measurements further show that the road’s actual footprint appears to exceed what was authorized under its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).While the ECC reportedly allowed a 12-meter-wide footprint along the alignment, construction on the ground shows a 12-meter carriageway expanded to around 20 meters of gravel width, with disturbed areas reaching more than 100 meters wide in some sections.Amlig said such a scale offers little practical benefit to farmers and residents but closely resembles specifications for industrial haul roads.The group also claimed that earlier phases of the project allegedly proceeded without a valid Gratuitous Special Use Permit (GSUP) and complete local clearances, despite traversing forestland and an Environmentally Critical Area.A GSUP is a mandatory authorization required for infrastructure projects that traverse protected or forested areas.While emphasizing that its findings are based solely on publicly available records and on-the-ground observations, Amlig called on the DPWH to clarify whether the reported budgets were fully released and properly spent.“Until full disclosures are made, the Pandan–Ibajay road risks standing not as a symbol of development — but as a cautionary tale of how public funds, weak oversight, and resource-rich landscapes collide,” the group said.
Veteran queens from Cebu ready to shine at national stage
by Kaiser Jan Fuentes on February 2, 2026 at 4:04 PM
CEBU will send two seasoned queens to compete at Miss Universe Philippines 2026, bringing not just beauty but also experience, resilience and advocacy to the national stage.Nicole Borromeo and Apriel Smith, veterans of national and international beauty pageants, were appointed as Cebu’s official representatives despite the absence of a local contest and coronation this year.The pageant’s local director Irma Payod-Bitzer announced during the official sashing event on Sunday that Borromeo will compete for Cebu Province, while Smith will represent Cebu City.They were crowned by last year’s winner, Gabbi Carballo, who placed in the Top 6 nationally and was later appointed Miss Eco International Philippines.Carballo will represent the country in Egypt this May.Payod-Bitzer welcomed the queens into one Cebu “family” and emphasized that they are “not competitors, but partners,” representing Cebu City and Cebu Province with their unique stories, identities and strengths.“Grace in adversity, resilience in hardship, compassion in service, and excellence in purpose,” she said, outlining the qualities expected of a Cebuana beauty queen.At the press conference, both queens shared with The Manila Times their personal journeys and advocacies.Smith, currently working abroad, said her experience as an OFW allowed her to reflect, gain perspective, and return to the pageant stage with renewed purpose.“After six years, why not come back on stage? The pandemic gave me the time to think and learn from myself,” she said.She also discussed how sports shaped her confidence and teamwork skills while helping her overcome experiences of bullying.“Because of teamwork and camaraderie in volleyball, I gained confidence. I want to show everyone that no matter what people see you as, don’t let them bring you down. Stand up for yourself. Know your self-worth, and no one can beat you down,” she said.Smith played varsity volleyball in high school for Abellana National School and in college for the University of San Carlos.She plans to promote sports as a tool for confidence-building, teamwork, and self-worth through her pageant advocacy.Borromeo, on the other hand, reflected on her volunteer and advocacy work, which focuses on the housing situation in a country frequently struck by typhoons and natural disasters, and highlighted her efforts with Habitat for Humanity.For the upcoming competition, she plans to shift her focus to mental health, a cause particularly close to her heart.“I hit my rock bottom not too long ago, and I was really lucky to have the right people around me to help me express myself…. Sometimes people don’t have the words to express what they’re feeling. In my case, it was through art,” she said.Borromeo added that her current advocacy includes art therapy sessions for soldiers experiencing trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.“I want to share with people that you aren’t limited by your negative mindset or by how you talk down on yourself. You aren’t defined by your pain or your hurt — you are so much more than that, and the world is just waiting for you to come alive,” she said.Seasoned queensBorromeo earned the right to compete internationally after winning Binibining Pilipinas International 2022 and went on to represent the Philippines at Miss International 2023 in Tokyo, Japan, finishing third runner-up.She has also won Miss Silka Cebu 2017, Sinulog Festival Queen 2019, and Miss Millennial Philippines 2019.Smith, the first-ever Binibining Cebu in 2017, reached the Top 16 in Miss Universe Philippines 2020, placed in the top 15 in Binibining Pilipinas 2016, and previously won titles including Sinulog Festival Queen 2012, Miss Dumanjug, and Miss Cebu City Olympics.During the event, both queens also received special awards from sponsors.Smith was named Miss KBDF, Miss Skin 911 Premiere, Miss Goodluck Hot Pot, and Miss Ph Care, while Borromeo received Miss Winzen Cafe, Miss Skin 911 Medical, Miss Gandang Myra E, and Miss Rose Pharmacy, reflecting strong sponsor and community support.The latest Cebuanas to earn the Miss Universe Philippines title include Beatrice Luigi Gomez, who placed in the Top 5 at the 70th Miss Universe pageant in Israel in 2021, and Gazini Ganados, a Top 20 semifinalist who also won the Best in National Costume award at the pageant’s 68th edition in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2019.The reigning Miss Universe Philippines titleholder is Ahtisa Manalo of Quezon Province, who was awarded 3rd runner-up in a pageant held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Survivors from sunken boat vow to file class suit
by Ali Macabalang on February 2, 2026 at 4:04 PM
COTABATO CITY — Survivors from the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3 have demanded a legislative inquiry into the tragic mishap and vowed to file a class suit for reckless imprudence against the boat’s management and other concerned parties.Lawyer Aquino Sajili, one of more than 300 survivors from the ferry boat’s sinking near Basilan on Jan. 26, said that proceedings from an in-depth probe could help them come up with an airtight legal complaint.Sajili led dozens of other survivors and grieving relatives of missing passengers in an indignation rally in Zamboanga City over the weekend.According to published reports attributed to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) officials, the Sulu-bound MV Trisha Kerstin 3 carried 332 passengers and 27 crew when it left Zamboanga City Port and sank near Basilan island province on January 26.The PCG said 316 passengers were rescued. Ten more passengers are missing.Sajili refuted the PGC-reported figure on missing passengers, even as other rally participants asserted that more than 60 people were actually missing, some of whom were named with photos in bond papers they flashed during the protest action.Sajili mentioned a certain Maranao Shariah Court Judge Rumoros as one of the missing passengers, saying the latter was behind his success in completing college and law studies.He said they would file a formal complaint after families of victims were through with a week or two of easing grief under Islamic traditions.“We have solid proofs to back our case,” Sajili said, claiming that the sunken boat was “scheduled for dry dock” on Jan. 28 due to operational defects, but the Aleson Shipping Lines (ASL) allegedly allowed the vessel to sail on Jan. 26.He said the regular route of the ill-fated boat was Zamboanga-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi, but its management shortened the route because “the people of Tawi-Tawi were aware that the boat was defective.”Sajili recalled that shortly after drifting from the Zamboanga Port, the boat tilted, and a loud sound was heard later under the vessel before it sank.“The sea was very calm,” he pointed out to debunk a PCG claim that the boat sank amid turbulent waters.A Senate committee headed by Sen. Raffy Tulfo has started looking into the mishap.But Sajili hinted that their demand for legislative inquiry was addressed to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament, five of whose members (representing Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi) have a standing proposal to ban the ASL from operating in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).Meanwhile, the Police Regional Officer (PRO) of BARMM reported on Monday the discovery of three more bodies from areas of Basilan waters on Sunday.Two of the cadavers were identified as those of SN1 Alkaisar Hadjail of PCG-Basilan and Alnesran Asamuddin, while a third body, a female, remains unidentified, the PRO-BARMM report said.
Improved irrigation promises growth for upland farming communities
by Frederick Silverio on February 2, 2026 at 4:03 PM
TO ensure a constant flow of water to more than 430 hectares of rice fields in the mountains of Barangay Malibay in San Miguel town and Barangay Kalawakan in Doña Remedios Trinidad (DRT) town, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has upgraded its irrigation system with elevated canals attached to Bulo Dam.In a report by NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen during a dialogue with farmers last week during the ocular visit of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, he said that canals directly benefit the farmers in the region by sustaining crop production and improving farm livelihoods in the upland areas.Aside from being a source of irrigation, Bulo Dam also serves as a water impounding facility that can store about 2.60 million cubic meters of water.The old Bulo dam was destroyed during the onslaught of Typhoon Pedring in 2011, but the irrigation facility is now fully operational and continues to provide reliable irrigation support to local farming communities.The repair and upgrade began in 2018 with an allocation of over P1 billion through a multi-year scheme or annual allocation approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).The main structure of the Bulo Dam is 30.70 meters high, where the soils, hardened by large blocks of rocks, clog the Bulo River.At the border, the main canal and spillway of the said dam are 140.38 meters long.Gatchalian, meanwhile, said that among the criteria to determine whether the allocated funds approved by Congress are being used correctly is the implementation of projects and whether the beneficiaries participate in their formulation.He said it is clear that this is being implemented in the NIA due to constant dialogue and consultation with irrigators’ associations such as the Malibay-Kalawakan Irrigators Association and the Upper PamMeanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has also completed the concreting of a two-lane farm-to-market road that reaches the entrance to Bulo Dam from Barangay Malibay to Tartaro in San Miguel.
DSWD rushes aid to 320 families hit by Bacolod floods
by Moises Cruz on February 2, 2026 at 4:02 PM
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its field office in Negros Island Region (NIR), distributed food packs to families affected by flooding in Bacolod City caused by isolated rain showers linked to a shear line.Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group said a yellow rainfall warning triggered severe flooding in 24 barangay (villages), prompting the immediate distribution of assistance to affected residents.“Following Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s directive, DSWD NIR swiftly delivered aid to 320 families affected by the floods, distributing family food packs that were prepositioned in the area,” Dumlao said.She said the rapid response aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure timely, efficient and responsive assistance to communities hit by disasters.“Under the president’s instructions, the DSWD continues to strengthen its capacity to provide adequate and immediate assistance to our people through the Buong Bansa Handa program,” Dumlao said.The Buong Bansa Handa program operates through two parallel supply chain mechanisms to improve disaster preparedness and response nationwide.The first mechanism relies on government-led supply chains that boost production and storage capacities at disaster resource centers and DSWD field office warehouses.The second mechanism taps partnerships with the private sector, allowing the agency to access the resources of groceries, supermarkets, manufacturers and distributors through framework agreements.By using these supply chains, DSWD regional offices can immediately respond to requests from local government units for augmentation support during emergencies.“DSWD remains ready to continue providing assistance to flood victims, with more than 230,000 family food packs available for immediate deployment if needed,” Dumlao said.