Seven infrastructure and development projects in Himamaylan City, with a combined contract cost of P398.395 million, remained unfinished past their scheduled completion dates, with delays of up to 1,286 days, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).
In its 2025 Annual Audit Report, COA attributed the delays to inadequate monitoring of project implementation and failure to sanction contractors who defaulted on their obligations.
The projects form part of the city’s development program financed through borrowings from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank).
Under City Ordinance No. 2020-024A, on January 25, 2022, the Sangguniang Panlungsod authorized the city government to borrow up to P470 million from LandBank.
Of this amount, P304.91 million was allocated for reclamation, shoreline protection, river desilting and other coastal developments, while P165.09 million was intended for the acquisition of heavy equipment, including two amphibious cutter-suction dredgers worth P142.8 million.
Among the seven projects identified by COA, the P219.799-million Himamaylan Socialized Housing Project in Barangay III-Poblacion had the largest contract cost.
However, the reclamation project at the Promenade in Barangays 1 and 2 recorded the longest delay at 1,286 days. Awarded to Wilkinson Construction, the P31.599-million project started on March 29, 2022, and was originally scheduled for completion on August 25, 2022.
Wilkinson Construction was also awarded the P45.148-million coastal and shoreline protection project in Barangay Sara-et, which started on March 28, 2022, and recorded 1,167 days of delay.
The two boulevard projects also missed their completion schedules. The Barangay 1-Poblacion project, worth P39.133 million and awarded to MKU Construction and Supply, was delayed by 1,048 days.
Meanwhile, the P22.695-million Barangay 2-Poblacion project, awarded to Almana Construction Development Corporation, incurred 1,065 days of delay.
Almana Construction Development Corporation was likewise awarded the river channel desilting and slope protection projects in Caradio-an and Aguisan, worth P20.789 million and P19.229 million, respectively. These recorded delays of 1,160 and 1,173 days.
The same contractor handled the P219.799-million socialized housing project, which recorded 603 days of delay despite having its completion schedule extended to December 19, 2025.
COA further disclosed that the unfinished projects remained recorded under the city’s Construction in Progress (CIP) and Loans Payable accounts because they were financed through bank loans. However, the audit report identified two exceptions: the desilting and slope protection project at Caradio-an River and the Barangay 2-Poblacion boulevard development.
No payments had been made to their respective contractors as of the report date, leaving no outstanding CIP or loans payable recorded for these two projects, it said.
What’s the status so far?
COA noted that six of the seven projects were bid out and started in 2022, with four awarded to Almana Construction Development Corporation. The audit team raised concerns about the contractor’s technical and logistical capacity to undertake several projects simultaneously.
During its ocular inspection, COA found that the Promenade reclamation and both boulevard projects were not functional. The coastal protection project was damaged and only partially functional, while some unfinished structures were already deteriorating.
The two river channel projects were considered functional, while the socialized housing project was partially functional.
The delays also carried financial consequences for the city.
COA reported that the city incurred P29.233 million in interest expenses in 2025, of which P19.684 million, or 67%, was attributable to the unfinished projects.
Adding to the concerns surrounding the loan-funded developments, independent sources told Brigada News FM that one of the dredgers purchased by the city through the borrowing program sank on Friday, November 6, 2026.
The reported incident comes as the river desilting and slope protection projects in Caradio-an and Aguisan remained unfinished in COA’s 2025 audit assessment.
The ordinance authorized P142.8 million for the acquisition of two amphibious cutter-suction dredgers, although the identity of the reported sunken equipment and the circumstances surrounding the incident have yet to be independently established.
The city government has yet to clarify the reported sinking, including the condition of the equipment, the extent of the damage and whether insurance coverage applies.
Meanwhile, the state auditor added that the city explained that notices of contract expiration and show-cause orders had been issued, but contractors still failed to complete the projects.
Limited equipment, materials and manpower were among the reasons cited for the delays. Some contractors were also granted extensions but remained unable to finish the works, it added.
COA further found that the city’s Project Monitoring Committee was reconstituted only on October 25, 2025, while the previous committee had not been actively monitoring and evaluating the projects. No monitoring reports on the unfinished developments had been submitted to the City Development Council.
The audit team recommended requiring contractors to submit updated Statements of Work Accomplished (SWA), conducting inspections to validate actual accomplishments and damages, and computing negative slippage and liquidated damages.
It also urged the city government to consider appropriate sanctions against contractors, including possible contract termination, and ensure that project details and updated statuses are displayed at construction sites.
City management agreed to strengthen project monitoring and contractor accountability.
COA warned that the delayed completion of the projects had postponed their anticipated economic and development benefits, while the city continued to shoulder interest expenses from its borrowings.
Meanwhile, Brigada News FM Philippines has sought a clarification from City Engineering Office on the status of compliance with COA’s recommendations and whether corrective measures have already been undertaken.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.