Please allow me to comment on the photo of the Mount Data Cliff rehabilitation and story titled “DPWH denies mayor’s corruption allegations” published in the July 2 and 16, 2023 issues of the Midland Courier.
First, the published photograph of Mt. Data Cliff repair project depicts another negligence by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Above the smaller slope slide is the P500-million rock-netting project, whose plastic component was burned recently.
Had the DPWH-Cordillera been diligent to personally inspect the site of the project, it could have seen the factual situation that a construction of a rockshed like that along the Palispis-Aspiras Highway in Badiwan, Tuba, Benguet wherein that P500M rocknetting fund is more than enough to cover the entire section of the Mt. Data Cliff to make the road safe from falling rocks, boulders and trees.
For that bigger slope slide, it started during the earthquake last year. A P50M fund was allocated for its widening and repair.
When I noticed that blasting with use of dynamites was employed in the project site, I informed the DPWH that disturbing an already stable slope will soon result in an intermittent collapse of the affected area for the next 20 years or so.
Like Kennon Road, the DPWH has created a goose that lays golden eggs for the next 20 years at the expense of peoples’ money.
Meanwhile, hypocrisy exists when the DPWH denied the corruption allegations of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong involving infrastructure projects.
If I’m not mistaken, the DPWH has the best engineering gadgets that can pinpoint sections of the concrete roads which have to be repaired.
I am with the good mayor in exposing alleged corruption involving infrastructure projects. My group and the good mayor can face the DPWH in court, as this can be an ideal venue to subpoena possible documents that can expose corruption. — JUNIPER C. DOMINGUEZ, Sabangan, Mountain Province
May 17, 2024