TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Civic organization SAVE Kalinga Inc. has urged Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vivencio Dizon to conduct a thorough and extended inspection of public infrastructure projects in the province instead of a brief site visit.

The appeal was made through an open letter issued by SAVE Kalinga president and co-founder Natividad P. Bayubay ahead of Dizon's scheduled inspection in the province, which began Monday at Liwan West Elementary School in Rizal town.

The group raised concerns over the condition of infrastructure projects funded by more than P6 billion, claiming that its independent civic audits uncovered major discrepancies between official records and actual project accomplishments.

According to SAVE Kalinga, some projects listed as 95 percent complete on paper were found to be only about 45 percent complete on the ground.

The group urged Dizon to spend enough time assessing the quality of construction and determining whether substandard or hazardous materials were used. It also called for a comprehensive audit of contractors involved in the projects, including a review of their licenses, technical capabilities and track records.

SAVE Kalinga likewise asked the DPWH chief to inspect ongoing activities that allegedly damage rivers, mountains and other natural resources in the province in the name of development.

The organization stressed that the multibillion-peso infrastructure budget should translate into safe and durable public structures that benefit local communities.

Bayubay said the group had already submitted formal letters, technical audit reports and civic findings to the DPWH central office detailing the alleged irregularities.

She added that residents are closely monitoring the outcome of Dizon's visit and hope it will lead to a deeper investigation, corrective measures and accountability for those responsible.