• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya yesterday welcomed the probe being conducted by multi-sectoral groups led by the Council of Concerned Citizens (CCC) on various flood control and drainage projects implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bacolod City from 2022 to 2025.
Members of the CCC conducted a visual inspection of some projects implemented in Bacolod yesterday together with representatives from the DPWH and the local government.
It is the right of anyone to conduct inspection of government projects, Gasataya said, “But for me, as long as the motivation is for transparency and for validation of projects and programs of government, we are open to it.”
However, if the motivation is different, the people will know, he said, “Because we can see that there are members of the Church who are there, whom we respect. But there are also members (of CCC) who were our political opponents during the last election.”
Gasataya said that since it was someone from the Church who wrote to him, he sent representatives from the City Engineers Office to join the inspection of flood control projects in the city.
Fr. Anecito “Mao” Buenafe, CCC convenor, in a letter to Gasataya. Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, and DPWH-Bacolod officer-in-charge Leah Jamero, said the joint inspection initiative is anchored on the principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability.
Meanwhile, Gasataya said he is thankful that the conduct of the “Trillion Peso March” held in Bacolod City Sunday calling for investigation and for those responsible to be held accountable for what happened to these projects coming from the national government, was peaceful.
He said all projects in Bacolod implemented by the national government were part of the comprehensive master plan and were implemented by the DPWH.*
