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ORMOC CITY — Amid mounting allegations of “ghost” projects in Leyte’s fourth district, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) defended its flood control and port initiatives in Albuera, Merida and Matag-ob, insisting the projects in question are legitimate and ongoing.
Peter Scheler Soco, officer-in-charge of Leyte’s 4th District Engineering Office, rejected the accusations, saying all projects are real and at different stages of completion.
“We have nothing to hide. All our projects undergo the proper processes, including planning, funding, and third-party monitoring. These are not ghost projects,” he said, adding that the office is prepared to face any congressional inquiry.
On Sept. 11, 2025, the district office led the inspection of four projects, of which three are flood control structures and one is a fish port.
In Albuera, Mayor Kerwin Espinosa has accused DPWH of reporting contradictory accomplishment figures.
Espinosa flagged the Benolho Flood Control Project, which was listed at 40.02 percent in March 2024 but later marked “completed” in October 2024 with a budget of P96 million.
Espinosa described it as a “ghost project,” posting video footage of a riverbank with no visible structure in the area.
DPWH explained that the Benolho project was designed to protect only one side of the river, and that Espinosa’s footage was filmed on the opposite bank.
The agency said the structure was finished ahead of its January 2025 target.
Espinosa also questioned the Albuera Port, citing earlier reports that placed its completion at 80 percent against the current 51 percent, as reported by the DPWH.
The P17-million project, meant as a docking site for fisherfolk, began in November 2024 but was suspended in January 2025 due to right-of-way disputes and mangrove concerns. Its permit lapsed on May 7, 2025.
In Merida, Mayor Rolando Villasencio raised concerns about the flood control project near Macatol Bridge, valued at over P95 million.
DPWH documents reflected it as 100 percent complete by July 2025, but the mayor found the structure still under construction during a surprise inspection last month.
Soco explained that the discrepancy stemmed from the agency’s Project Contract Management Application (PCMA) system, which automatically recorded full completion because the requested extension had not yet been uploaded by the central office.
Actual progress, he clarified, stood at more than 80 percent.
Originally slated for completion on December 2024, the project was delayed by bad weather and the late approval of a tree-cutting permit.
In Matag-ob, a P48.2-million riverside flood control wall suffered partial collapse on Aug. 25 after days of continuous heavy rain. Its completion rate fell from 94 percent to 80 percent.
The project was initially scheduled for Sept. 28, 2025, but was extended to Nov. 27 due to the weather damage.
Earlier, Matag-ob Mayor Bernardino Tacoy criticized the project as substandard and claimed his office was not consulted.
This led to Rep. Richard Gomez of Leyte’s 4th District answer during a privilege speech in Congress, presenting a Jan. 16 courtesy call with Tacoy and DPWH personnel as proof of coordination.
Gomez also clarified that the wall’s failure was due to an unfinished component called the “lock,” not poor materials.
He noted the project had secured a Certificate of Non-Coverage from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources before work began.
Soco stressed that all projects in the district undergo planning, funding approval, and third-party evaluation before implementation.
He said site conditions and technical setbacks explain delays, not misuse of funds. He also acknowledged that the PCMA’s real-time figures often do not match on-ground progress until central office updates are processed.
The district engineer said his office remains open to scrutiny from mayors, legislators, and even Congress.
He said that transparency is a guiding principle and reiterated that the questioned projects in Albuera, Merida and Matag-ob are legitimate public works under continuous monitoring.
