Marcos Inspects Rock Shed Amid Infrastructure Concerns
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally inspected a rock shed along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet, on Sunday, August 24, 2025. During the visit, he expressed deep frustration over the botched DPWH projects that have failed to deliver promised protection and benefits. The president vowed to resolve controversies surrounding these flawed infrastructure undertakings before his term ends in three years.
The rock shed project, intended to shield motorists from rockfalls and landslides, has become a symbol of poor workmanship and wasted government funds. Marcos described the construction as “sloppily made,” noting that parts of the structure’s foothold collapsed due to soil scouring during Typhoon Emong in late July. “The P260 million that the government spent on this project had no effect whatsoever as to protect the slope. Parang walang ginawa,” the president told reporters, emphasizing the zero value of the work done.
Local Officials Demand Thorough Investigation
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who joined the president during the inspection, called for a third-party audit to uncover the true condition of the project. The mayor stressed the importance of assessing whether human factors like design flaws or construction errors worsened the damage beyond natural causes.
Magalong, chair of the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay Development Authority (BLISTTDA), highlighted the need for adequate funding and top-tier quality standards for projects of this scale. “Projects like this must be given class A quality standards,” he said, stressing that proper investment is essential to safeguard the community and infrastructure.
Economic Impact of Kennon Road Closure
President Marcos also acknowledged the economic toll caused by the monthlong closure of Kennon Road. Local mayors reported that numerous businesses in the Cordillera Administrative Region suffered income losses due to the disrupted traffic and commerce. “So it’s not only the physical damage that you can see but it is also the damage to the economy. It is also the damage to the people’s livelihood,” he remarked.
He further lamented the loss of earnings among hardworking residents, pointing to corruption as a root cause: “People here are just working honorably, and then 35 percent of what they should have earned was lost just because of people who have stolen from the government’s coffers.”
Commitment to Resolve Infrastructure Issues
Marcos pledged that addressing all infrastructure issues, especially those involving the Department of Public Works and Highways, will remain a top priority for the remainder of his administration. “If there’s one thing [that I promise], I will not leave this office until it fixes this issue,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, motorists are advised to avoid Kennon Road due to ongoing risks of rockfalls and landslides. Alternative routes include Marcos Highway and the Asin–Nangalisan–San Pascual–La Union Road, which remain open and safer for travel.
Details of the Rock Shed Project
According to officials, the national government allocated P274 million from the 2022 budget to build a 152-meter, two-lane rock shed along Kennon Road. This structure was designed to protect motorists from falling debris and landslides.
The contract for construction was awarded to 3K Rock Engineering, with work starting on January 10, 2023, and a scheduled completion date of April 13, 2025. Records indicate that engineer Francis Cuyop served as the company’s general manager. Cuyop recently ran for representative of Ifugao’s lone district in the May 2025 elections but was defeated.
For more news and updates on botched DPWH projects, visit Filipinokami.com.
