HINILING ni Chairman Terry Ridon ng House committee on public accounts ang isang region-wide audit ng flood control at kritikal na infrastructure projects sa Bicol, matapos ang serye ng pagkasira, pagguho at nakababahalang resulta mula sa field validations.

Batay sa nakalipas na high-level inspections, kasama na ang kay Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon at Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., binigyang-diin ni Ridon na may malalalim na problema sa project delivery — kabilang ang pagkaantala, hindi natatapos na trabaho, mababang kalidad ng materyales, at kahina-hinalang accomplishment reports.

“These are not isolated incidents. They reveal a pattern: projects funded, projects announced, projects certified — yet projects left unfinished, defective, or incapable of protecting the public,” ani Ridon ng Bicol Saro Party-list at co-chair ng House infrastructure committee.

“In Bicol, flood control structures are disintegrating, bridges are shaking under normal loads, and drainage systems are overwhelmed. This is not acceptable. Public funds must deliver public safety,” pagdiin pa niya.

Tinukoy niya ang ilang proyekto na dapat isailalim sa audit, base sa report ng Provincial Project Monitoring Team (PPMT) ng Camarines Sur: ang Garchitorena Seawall, Sagpon River Flood Control (Section 1 at 2) sa Tigaon, dagdag pang Sagpon River Flood Control sections sa Tigaon, at ang Sagnay River Flood Mitigation Project (Turague Section) sa Sagnay.

Binigyang-diin ni Ridon na lalong nakababahala na nangyayari ang mga pagkukulang na ito kahit pa may pambansang atensyon at pangako ng DPWH sa project– at evidence–based na implementasyon at mahigpit na monitoring.

Nanawagan siya ng agaran at komprehensibong reporma, kabilang ang:

1. Isang region-wide at time-bound na audit ng lahat ng flood control at kritikal na infrastructure projects sa Bicol — kasama ang document-to-ground validation, independent technical testing at pagpapatupad ng warranty.

2. Awtomatikong pag-endorso sa Office of the Ombudsman at Department of Justice kapag may ebidensiya ng mga pekeng accomplishment, irregular billings o bayad para sa non-conforming work.

3. Mga repormang pambansa: third‑party monitoring para sa malalaking flood control projects, real‑time transparency dashboards, at mas mahigpit na pananagutin ng mga kontraktor at blacklisting mechanisms.

“Flood control projects are not ornamental structures. They are life-saving infrastructure,” pahayag ni Ridon. “When they fail, homes are lost, livelihoods are destroyed, and lives are endangered.

The Filipino people deserve flood control that works — and governance that enforces accountability.”