Half of Cagayan Valley's flood-control projects were never inspected, an audit finds
Half of the dikes and pumping stations funded in Cagayan Valley since 2023 have no completed inspection on file, according to a regional audit report released on Monday.
The report reviewed 64 projects. Contractors had submitted completion certificates for all of them, but inspection teams signed off on only 31. The regional office said staffing, not funding, was the constraint.
The provincial board has asked the regional office to publish a schedule for the remaining inspections before the next budget hearing.
In 30 Seconds
An audit found that 33 of 64 flood-control projects in Cagayan Valley were certified complete by their contractors and never inspected. The regional office blames staffing. The provincial board wants a schedule.
Why It Matters
A dike certified complete but never inspected is a structure nobody has verified will hold. The towns behind these projects plan their own evacuation routes around them.
The Bigger Picture
Flood-control spending has grown faster than the inspection capacity meant to verify it. Audits in three other regions have reported the same gap in the last two years.
What's Next
The regional office is due to answer the provincial board before the next budget hearing. The audit office can refer projects for a fuller review if the inspections do not happen.
What This Means For You
If you live near one of the uninspected projects, the audit report lists each one by municipality. Nothing in the report says any structure has failed; it says nobody has checked.