By Aaron Recuenco
The Philippine General Hospital’s ₱679-million flood control project has barely moved forward, with only 16 percent completion after 18 months, drawing sharp criticism from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
DPWH officials said the project, which began in December 2024 and was supposed to be finished by June 15 this year, remains far behind schedule.
During an inspection two days after the supposed completion date, DPWH Undersecretary Emil Sadain Dizon confronted the contractor, warning: “What will we improve? If you cannot deliver this by June, cancel it.”
The joint venture handling the project, linked to associates of former congressman and fugitive Zaldy Co, was found to have made only minimal progress despite the urgency of the work.
Dizon stressed that the turtle-paced construction is unacceptable, especially since PGH serves hundreds of patients daily and sits in a flood-prone area of Manila.
With the rainy season already declared, he warned that the hospital community would suffer renewed flooding.
“We are talking about a hospital here. It is really important because a lot of people come here on a daily basis and with the start of the rainy season, this will be flooded anew,” Dizon said, adding that the President has made clear: “Our people deserve better.”
