Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the immediate completion of the San Agustin Bridge in Arayat, Pampanga Thursday, giving contractors until October to finish an infrastructure project that had been stalled for eight years.
Dizon, who learned of the eight-year delay in December 2025, aims to complete the bridge within five months to reduce travel times for motorists and commuters traveling between Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.
The directive followed an inspection of regional infrastructure projects ahead of the rainy season. During the visit, Dizon stressed that a collapse of the Candating dike must not be repeated this year.
The controversial flood control infrastructure project, located along the riverbank in Barangay Candating, previously made national headlines following multiple catastrophic structural collapses.
Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda accompanied Dizon during the inspection, alongside board member Kaye Naguit, Department of Public Works and Highways Central Luzon regional director Arnold Ocampo, Pampanga 1st District Engineer Alfie Lejarde, PGENRO Arthur Punsalan, Pampanga PPO Police Col. Eugene Marcelo and Arayat Vice Mayor Ramon Changcoco.
Dizon thanked the local government for resolving right-of-way concerns that had hindered the construction of the bridge. Pineda noted the importance of collaborative efforts between local government units and the DPWH in resolving infrastructure problems.
Officials are also looking into nature-based solutions for the collapsed dike in Candating to protect houses from erosion and prevent floodwaters from entering the community. In nearby Barangay Cupang, the DPWH chief ordered teams to expedite sheet piling works for a separate flood control project.
The Candating Flood Control Project has drawn intense public scrutiny and a Senate investigation following repeated structural failures despite receiving nearly P295 million in cumulative government funding.
Built to protect residents from the overflows of the Pampanga River, the 110.20-meter mitigation structure has failed multiple times, leading to the evacuation of nearby families and allegations of corruption and substandard construction.
The project, officially tasked with rehabilitating the eroded bank of the Pampanga River, has seen an escalating cycle of funding and destruction. The initiative began in 2018 with an initial budget allocation of P20 million. An additional P91-million contract was awarded in 2023.
In August 2024, despite being deemed complete, a major section of the P91 million structure collapsed during super typhoon “Carina” due to intense river pressure and soil softening, forcing the evacuation of more than 20 local families.
