Davao Occidental mayor presses contractors to complete unfinished roads

The mayor of a remote coastal town in Davao Occidental remains hopeful that unfinished and substandard projects in the municipality will be completed or repaired amid ongoing investigations on alleged anomalous infrastructure projects nationwide.

- By KEITH BACONGCO

The town of Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental was recently put on the spotlight due to alleged ghost flood control projects and substandard roads.

Mayor Jason John Joyce hinted that there are more alleged anomalous government projects in his town, lamenting that these have been affecting the welfare of his constituents.

Joyce said the people of JAS are supportive of the ongoing investigations by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

He added that he is hopeful that the investigations could put pressure on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and contractors to finish incomplete and repair defective projects.

"But the most important for us are the highways, more particularly those leading to the upland villages of San Isidro, Quiapo, and Molmol because the roads there are not yet concrete," Joyce said.

"Never pa 'yan napuntahan ng DPWH. Usually kami lang sa LGU ang nare-repair at gumagawa ng mga malilit na kalsada. "

(The DPWH has never been to these roads. We the LGU usually repair and build these roads)