BAGUIO CITY — Standing beside a crumbling rock shed along Kennon Road’s Camp 6 on Sunday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not hide his frustration.

“Because this (rock shed) had to be closed, about 35 percent of livelihoods here were lost,” Marcos told reporters in Filipino, pointing to the structure that was supposed to shield motorists from falling rocks. “It’s not just physical damage — you’re talking about people’s income.”

The President, joined by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, inspected the P264-million Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) project, which was completed only in April but has since fallen into “precarious condition.”

Typhoon Emong last July scoured its foundation and exposed weaknesses in its protection wall, allowing water to seep through and erode the structure meant to improve safety along the landslide-prone highway.

“It’s as if nothing was done,” Marcos lamented. “It eroded because the protection wall is very weak.”

Broader pattern of failures

Marcos said the Kennon Road inspection was the latest in a series of site visits across the country that showed the same problems repeating themselves.

“Panglima yata ang inspeksiyon na ganito, and it’s always the same,” he noted, before moving on to check nearby rock-netting installations.

The President singled out rock-netting projects as notorious for corruption. He claimed they were once barred due to shady deals but somehow continued to be implemented.

According to him, the nets were bought cheaply but billed to the government at four times the actual price, with as much as 75 percent of project funds lost to kickbacks. (These remain allegations from the President; ongoing investigations have yet to determine accountability.)

President Marcos said reconstructing the project would cost the government at least twice the original amount, or at least P500 million.

The President reiterated his order to charge those involved in the anomalous project with economic sabotage, citing not only the road closure but the economic loss to businesses and people’s livelihoods.

Call for local oversight

Beyond the engineering flaws, Marcos stressed the need to bring back local oversight in infrastructure planning. He recalled that during his time as a governor, projects had to undergo barangay hearings, LGU vetting, and a formal “acceptance” once completed.

“That acceptance is very important,” he said. “Because people can say whether the project really benefits them.”

Today, he added, local leaders often have little say, reduced to ceremonial site visits after construction is already underway. Marcos vowed to restore mandatory consultations and LGU acceptance to make sure public works are both necessary and reliable.

A cautionary tale

The President also promised accountability for what he called substandard and even “ghost” projects, saying he would not leave office without addressing the issue.

“We will fix this,” he said. “Because when projects are poorly built, it’s not just money that’s wasted—it’s lives and livelihoods put at risk.”

The Camp 6 rock shed, once billed as a safety upgrade along one of Luzon’s most dangerous highways, now stands as a cautionary tale.

One strong storm was all it took to expose a larger problem: when corners are cut and communities are cut out, infrastructure meant to protect can quickly become another hazard.

Rock shed project

The ₱273.93-million Kennon Road Rock Shed Project was designed as a 152-meter, two-lane protective structure aimed at shielding motorists from frequent rockfalls and landslides along one of Northern Luzon’s most treacherous highways.

Located at Purok Millsite, Sitio Camp 6, Brgy. Camp 4, Tuba, Benguet, the structure forms part of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Asset Preservation Program under Organizational Outcome 1: Ensure Safe and Reliable National Road System.

Implemented through Contract ID 22P000138 and funded under the FY 2022 Infrastructure Program (General Appropriations Act), the project was awarded to 3KRock Engineering.

Construction began on 10 January 2023 and was officially completed on 13 April.