In Tuba, Benguet, another ‘useless’ project is discovered by President ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
TUBA, Benguet — Keen on finding out the extent of substandard and ‘ghost’ projects that have been implemented around the country, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (PBBM) once again unearthed a questionable project in what he called as a “useless” rock shed project in Tuba, Benguet, which cost the government more than PhP270 million to build.
The president was accompanied by Baguio City mayor Benjamin ‘Benjie’ Magalong and Tuba local chief executive Clarita Sal-ongan in his inspection of the 152-meter, two-lane rock shed constructed in Camp 6 along Kennon Road, which was meant to protect motorists from rockfall and landslides during heavy rainfall.
Based on official records, the PhP273.93-million project was awarded to 3K Rock Engineering Corporation.
On inspecting the site, the chief executived reacted in Pilipino: “It’s as if no work was done. ”
“The (more than) PhP260 million that the government spent on this project had no effect whatsoever as to protect the slope,” Marcos Jr. pointed out.
He noticed visibly that the rock shed had disintegrated and did not prevent the soil from collapsing during the onslaught of typhoon Emong and monsoon rains last July. The soil collapse and rockfall resulted in damage to the structure and the closure of a portion of Kennon Road, a major link to Baguio.
“It’s like you just threw away the money into the river. Useless,” the president lamented.
Funded under the 2022 infrastructure program, the project started on January 10, 2023 was listed as completed on April 13, 2025. Rebuilding the shed would cost the government at least twice the original amount, or PhP500 million.
Angered by the waste of public funds, Marcos Jr. ordered charges to be filed against those involved in the project, not just for the substandard outcome and partial road closure, but also for income loss to businesses.
“It’s economic sabotage. It is not only the physical damage that we can see, but it is also the damage to the economy. It is also the damage to the people’s livelihood,” he cited.
“These people just want to have some livelihood, but they have a loss of at least 35 percent because the government’s money was pocketed by some,” he went on.
Apart from the rock shed at Camp 6, the President also inspected the rock netting mesh system at Camp 5, worth PhP114.18 million. He also flagged the project as anomalous “because rock netting is notorious for corruption.”
“Rock netting was prohibited, but it was still done. Aside from that, I know the supplier of rock nettings. The price of rock netting is only PhP3,200. What was charged to the government is more than PhP12,000,” he said.
The rock shed and netting were the latest flood control projects inspected by Marcos since the launching of the ‘Sumbong sa Pangulo’ website earlier this month.
