CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Gov. Lilia Pineda has demanded an immediate halt to the Candating Flood Control Project in Arayat, calling the ₱273 million infrastructure a “deadly mistake” after inspections revealed design flaws that worsened flooding in the area.

During a media briefing, Pineda recounted her 2024 visit to Candating, Arayat, where she observed cracked slope protections and clogged drainage channels.

"Despite repeated funding and repairs, the project failed within a year of completion. Instead of easing floods, it made them worse,” she said.

The Governor slammed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for secretly inflating the project’s budget from ₱100 million to ₱273 million.

"Ang alam ko mga P100M lang, yun pala tatlong P91M," Pineda told reporters. She criticized the lack of transparency, adding, “Kahit dagdagan mo pa ng bilyon yan, wala na talaga kasi mali ang disenyo.”

The Candating project was awarded to Edmarri Construction and Trading, with allocations of ₱91 million in 2023 and ₱182 million in 2024. It was prioritized under former Senior Deputy Speaker Dong Gonzales, now Special Adviser to the Speaker (SAS), who media reports allege has ties to Congress’ “Big Six”—a group of lawmakers under scrutiny for their role in allocating flood control funds.

Pineda starkly contrasted the project’s impact: “‘Dati,’ hanggang tuhod lang ang baha. Ngayon, hanggang dibdib na, at umaabot ng dalawang buwan."

She vowed to block future projects lacking proper planning, declaring that no infrastructure should proceed without a master plan.

As for the reported ₱293 billion flood control project in Pampanga, the Governor admitted she has no knowledge of it but assured she would inspect all projects under this initiative.