00:00Senator Rafael Tulfo did not hold back in upgrading acting NIA Chief Eduardo Guillen for his spotty performance as agency head
00:08and the shoddy work on the construction and repair of irrigation systems under his watch.
00:14And as our Luisa Erispe reports, Senator Tulfo went as far as urging him to step down in today's Senate budget deliberations.
00:23Pag napatunayan, napatsipatsilang ginawa, someone has to resign. Are you willing to resign? Challenge taken. Good.
00:34Senator Rafi Tulfo infuriatedly challenged National Irrigation Administrator Eduardo Guillen to resign from his post during the budget debates in the Senate today.
00:45The senator said he may only be acting as part of a PR stunt showing his face and presenting the achievements of NIA.
00:53But in reality, the agency, the lawmaker alleges, has substandard repair works or projects on irrigation systems.
01:01Huwag yung pakitan yung mga farmland, pakitan yung hepe ng NIA na nagpapapogi, papakita yung mga damon, yung palay na tumutubo. Huwag ganon.
01:15Huwag tayong maglukuhan dito. Ipakitan yung struktura.
01:19Senator Rafi Tulfo was referring to the Bulo Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Bulacan,
01:25which was just finished last 2022 after eight years of construction.
01:29However, in 2023, it was damaged already by Typhoon Carding.
01:34Every single time na magkaroon ng bagyo, lahat ng proyekto ng NIA sa irrigation, nagigiba.
01:47Why? Hindi ba na-anticipate nila yan?
01:50Na ang Pilipinas ay talagang pasukan ng bagyo?
01:53All year round, binabagyo tayo.
01:55Sen Tulfo also complained this project was already a topic of discussion during the 2024 budget deliberations.
02:03Though rehabilitations were made, it seems that with just one hit, it was easily damaged.
02:09That's why the salon asked which contractor was responsible for the repair and the construction of the said project.
02:1650 million pesos for a certain repair at yung nakita niyo sa video, palitada lang.
02:24Patsi-patsi. Ganoon ba tayo gumasyos ng pera ng gobyerno?
02:2950 million? Patsi-patsi lang?
02:31Did you call out the contractor about doon sa kanilang washi-washi na...
02:37NIA's budget sponsor, Sen. Kiko Panghilinan, explained that 50 million pesos was not the amount of the repair.
02:45But Sen. Rafi Tulfo said the contractor behind the repair was one of those who were issued a subpena for possible involvement in the flood control issue.
02:53Patsi-patsi na ito ay kasama sa sinasampino ngayon sa Blue Ribbon, sa dahil sa flood control, projects nila na questionable, kasama to, are ipahati.
03:11That is correct. According to the NIA, they may have been involved in the flood control scandal today, but the project was...
03:20Yesterday? I mean, nowadays. But the pahati project was completed in 2015.
03:29The senator will set an ocular inspection on the project, and if proven substandard, this will be the basis for the resignation of the NIA administrator.
03:39Sen. Erwin Tulfo, on the other hand, raised another issue regarding the delayed repairs on irrigation projects.
03:45Ano po ang mga panungunahing dahilan kung bakit nagkakadelay po tayo sa konstruksyon?
03:53Kanina ko pa po narinig yung balog-balog, alas trebe pa lang ng umaga, pinag-uusapan na po ang balog-balog, alauna na po tayo.
04:01Hindi na po ang balog-balog at iba pa pong mga...
04:03Or let me rephrase my question.
04:06Ilan pa pong irrigation dams, irrigation system, canal, ang hindi po natatapos ngayon?
04:12Ilan, sa lahat-lahat?
04:16Malamang maraming mga hindi natatapos dahil habang tinatapos yung dapat tapusin, tatamaan na naman ng kalamidad.
04:25Meron pang dagdag na masisira, malaking danyos, malaking pinsala.
04:29The reason for the delays in the repairs is wala daw silang quick response fund.
04:34Aasa pa sa Office of Civil Defense.
04:40Senator Panghilinan clarified, there has already been funds allocated for repairs in the 2026 proposed budget.
04:47Luisa Erispe from the National TV Network for a New and Better Philippines.
