By HENRY EMPEÑO | November 14, 2025

IBA, Zambales — Zambales local officials said they were not aware of the 10 slope protection projects along the Sto. Tomas River in San Narciso, Zambales that resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co listed as among the P10-billion project insertions in the 2025 budget.

Co released the list on Friday, November 14, claiming it as proof that President Marcos allegedly ordered the insertions.

“Narito po ang listahan ng mga proyekto na inutos ni PBBM na i-insert sa 2025 Budget na may kabuoang halaga na 100 billion pesos,” Co captioned in his Facebook post Friday afternoon.

The list included five projects for the construction of slope protection structure along the Sto. Tomas River at the north approach and another five slope protection projects at the south approach.

All projects, worth more than P955 million, were awarded to ADSL Construction & Trading based in Sta. Maria, Bulacan.

The five projects in the north approach were supposedly 98 percent completed, while those at the south approach ranged from 47 to 49 percent completed.

However, both Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and San Narciso Mayor La Rainne Sarmiento told BusinessMirror they did not know about the supposed dike projects.

“Sad to note, hindi dumaan sa atin (the projects did not pass through us),” Ebdane said.

Asked if she was aware of the 10 projects in her municipality, Sarmiento flatly denied knowing so, adding that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has not informed her of any such project.

“Ang na-inspect namin ay projects ng 2024. ‘Yang 2025, wala kaming info. Ngayon ko lang nakita ng list, kaya hindi ko alam kung totoo rin ang list (What we inspected were the projects in 2024. These in 2025, we don’t have any information about. It’s only now that I saw the list, so I don’t know whether it is true),” Sarmiento said.

A check with the DPWH website showed a copy of a contract awarded by DPWH Zambales 1^st District Engineering Office to ADSL on April 2, 2025.

This was for the Phase 4 construction of slope protection structure along Sto. Tomas River (Maculcol dike) north approach in San Narciso, with total project cost of P95.53 million and a completion target of 330 calendar days.

The contract was signed by OIC Assistant District Engineer Dennis A. Nacin and ADSL Managing Officer Aris DC. San Luis.

The contract noted that ADSL Construction & Trading submitted the lowest offer among the three bids submitted on March 19, 2025 for the said project. 

COVER PHOTO: The Maculcol Bridge spanning the Sto. Tomas River in San Narciso in this file photo taken in January 2025 (Aethan Moto photo)