BAGUIO CITY — The advocacy group Save Kalinga has issued a report detailing what it describes as an infrastructure crisis gripping the province.

According to the findings of the group, which is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), there is a stark contrast between official government records and the physical reality of the province’s most expensive engineering projects funded between 2017 and 2026.

At the center of the investigation is the Chico River Mega Dike, a 5.5-billion-peso project designed to shield 21 barangays from seasonal flooding. While the report notes that the provincial master plan describes a unified 18-kilometer defense system, the group claims the reality on the ground consists only of fragmented, shallow walls.

The group further alleged that a specific segment valued at 5.2 million pesos—which has been used as a centerpiece for political publicity—is already showing signs of structural failure and is described by locals as disconnected. This raises significant concerns regarding the actual destination of the billions allocated for the project’s overarching master plan.

The report identifies two major bridge projects that exist primarily as ghost infrastructure. The Makilo Steel Bridge in Tinglayan, Kalinga, was officially recorded as 98.86 percent complete in mid-2024. However, the group points out that the original temporary bridge collapsed in late 2025 because no new foundations or steelwork had ever been initiated.

Similarly, the Nambaran-Alliog Bridge in Tabuk City remains a temporary link despite being part of a high-value 106-million-peso funding stream. The report argues these failures have compromised the province’s logistics and safety despite the massive release of taxpayer funds.

A circle of winners among contractors appears to dominate the local bidding process, according to the report. This list is allegedly led by firms such as EGB Construction and MG Samidan Construction. The latter has reportedly secured over 5.02 billion pesos in regional contracts while projects remain unfinished.

Investigators suggested a system of license renting, where large firms win bids to satisfy regulatory requirements but lease the actual work to local crews. These sub-contractors often lack the heavy equipment, such as pile drivers and cranes, necessary to meet building codes. Save Kalinga stressed that this has led to a cycle of project modifications and falsified accomplishment reports under the supervision of the Lower Kalinga District Engineering Office.

As of February 2026, the group claims the provincial administration has introduced a narrative concerning a security crisis to counter the leaking of a 6.8-billion-peso audit.

The group also raised concerns regarding former Kalinga Congressman Allen Jesse Mangaoang. The group, which accuses Mangaoang of corrupt practices, noted that he recently announced a paid gun threat without providing a police report or any National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) case number. Save Kalinga expressed alarm that this alleged assassination plot is being linked to a former government employee who is a member of their organization.

Save Kalinga stated that this strategy appears designed to shift public attention away from missing infrastructure funds and toward the safety of officials, effectively placing whistleblowers in immediate physical danger through trial by publicity.