Flashflood swamps school, exposes P34-M project delay

PANIITIAN, Sofronio Española, Palawan — A flashflood submerged the Panitian Elementary School here on Monday as the southwest monsoon brought heavy rains, renewing concerns over a delayed flood control project along the nearby Pulot River.

The floodwaters rose quickly inside the school, knee and waist-deep in classrooms after a nearby river overflowed at around 11 a.m.

By noon, water had entered several rooms and spread across the school grounds. Teachers said the river behind the school spilled over and crossed the road leading into the campus, worsening the flooding inside.

Students were sent home as teachers, barangay personnel, and residents rushed to save books, documents, and learning materials.

Residents said the water rose in less than an hour.

“About 11 it rained, about 12 it flooded. From the river behind the school, it crossed the road and went inside the school,” resident Michael said, describing how quickly the situation escalated.

The incident has renewed scrutiny over flood control efforts in the area, particularly a river control project along the Pulot River that residents say remains unfinished past its target deadline.

A resident of Barangay Pulot Center, Lovimen Gallego, earlier questioned the status of the project implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways 2nd District Engineering Office, saying its progress appeared minimal.

In a social media post on 22 September 2025, Gallego said the project was far from completion.

“Flood control sa Española duration... mag-duration na wala pang 20 percent ang nagagawa,” she said, estimating that less than 20 percent of the work had been completed.

Nine months later, the status of the project could not be independently verified.

The project, awarded to Ivy Michelle Construction and Trading Inc. on 26 March 2025, had a contract worth more than P34 million and was scheduled for construction from 11 April to 11 September 2025 under the 2025 National Expenditure Program.

As the floodwaters slowly receded, residents said the latest inundation at the school underscored the area’s vulnerability during extreme weather, raising fresh questions about the effectiveness and timeliness of local flood mitigation projects.