Marcos slams P260M rock shed project in Benguet

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. criticized a P260-million rock shed project in Benguet on Sunday following an inspection that revealed structural failures that caused road damage in the area.

Speaking in Baguio City with Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Marcos said the 152-meter rock shed project along Kennon Road at Camp 6, Barangay Camp 4, Tuba, Benguet failed to serve its purpose of protecting motorists from landslides.

He pointed to structural defects, including the collapse of the slope protection.

“You can see for yourself that this was not done properly. The slope protection that was built here collapsed immediately. The protection that should have been in place was not constructed, and because of that, the road was destroyed,” Marcos said.

The President said the project, which cost about P260 million, “had no effect” in securing the slope.

He warned that erosion beneath the road had made the area unsafe and led to economic losses due to the closure of some businesses in the affected sections.

“It’s not only the physical damage that you can see, but also the damage to the economy and to people’s livelihood. These people were simply trying to make a living, yet 35 percent of it was taken away from them so government funds could be pocketed,” he said.

Marcos also criticized the use of rock netting, calling it a practice “notorious for corruption.” He noted that rock netting was overpriced four times, with a market value of P3,200 but billed to the government at P12,000.

Records show the project was undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Cordillera Administrative Region with a contract cost of P273.83 million under the 2022 General Appropriations Act. Contractor 3KRock Engineering began construction in January 2023 and completed it in April 2025.