The government lost P6.45 billion in 2024 from more than 700 unusable or idle Department of Public Works and Highways infrastructure projects, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.
Its audit report cited 747 projects that failed to comply with contract provisions due to lack of proper supervision and monitoring, with technical defects rendering them unusable.
‘‘The foregoing technical defects and deficiencies may compromise the safety of the public, cause further destruction of the infrastructures, and ultimately result in the wastage of government funds and resources if not immediately addressed,’’ it noted.
Projects with defects and deficiencies were found in five District Engineering Offices in the Cordillera Administrative Region, one in the Ilocos Region, 11 in Cagayan Valley, seven in MIMAROPA, seven in the Bicol Region, nine in Western Visayas, two in Eastern Visayas, two in the Zamboanga Peninsula, five in Northern Mindanao, and two in Caraga.
In CAR alone, auditors flagged 31 projects worth P54.7 million for work that failed to meet contract standards.
Based on the report, there were longitudinal pavement cracks and instances of overpayment.
The Ilocos Region had three projects worth P45.7 million with major structural and settlement cracks.
Cagayan Valley had 183 projects worth P52.4 million with damaged pavements, leaking roofs, and collapsed revetment walls.
State auditors cited an P84.6-million loss from 153 projects in MIMAROPA with temperature cracks, busted lights, scaling, collapsed structures, and damaged slope protection.
They reported the Bicol Region lost P4 million from 31 projects with potholes, substandard materials, plaster debonding, and soil erosion, while Western Visayas had a P3.46-billion loss from 130 projects due to pavement and structural defects.
Losses in Eastern Visayas could not be quantified because 48 projects had missing items, cracked coatings, and insufficient asphalt sealant, while Zamboanga Peninsula had nine projects with deficiencies worth P4.75 million, including missing reflectorized pavement markings and other violations of contract standards.
COA flagged Northern Mindanao for more than P2 billion in losses from 153 projects that were poorly executed or reported as completed despite being unfinished, while Caraga lost P13.1 million from six projects due tounnecessary work items, excessive quantities, and non-compliance with contract specifications.
