(UPDATE) PUBLIC Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon expressed dismay over the delay of a flood control project at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).
Upon inspection, Dizon found that the work was only at 16 percent completion despite having started in December 2024.
The PGH is one of the country’s largest public hospitals, serving thousands of patients every day.
“The president said our people deserve better than this,” Dizon said, noting the approaching rainy season could expose patients, hospital workers, and visitors to hazards.
Accompanied by UP-PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, the Public Works chief also inspected several other unfinished building projects inside the hospital complex.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has a standing directive to address deficiencies in public hospital infrastructure to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of medical services across the country.
The president has directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to sustain round-the-clock clearing, dredging, and desilting operations in major waterways, drainage systems, esteros, canals, and rivers nationwide.
Among the top priority areas are Metro Manila, the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Tarlac, Naga City, and key areas in the Visayas and Mindanao, including Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Maguindanao.
Dizon urged the public to practice proper waste disposal, noting that garbage-clogged waterways remain one of the leading causes of flooding. He called on citizens to report stalled, defective, or neglected government projects so they can be addressed.
This comes as a viral video shows a submerged section of Arzadon Road in Barangay Mayombo, Dagupan City, Pangasinan. The problem was promptly addressed by the DPWH.
