PROTESTERS throw tomatoes at the signage of the Department of Public Works and Highways during a rally in Cebu City on Friday morning, Sept. 5.(Calvin Cordova)
CEBU CITY – Angry protesters stormed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Cebu City District Engineering Office in the pier area here on Friday morning, Sept. 5.
Members of youth and multi-sectoral groups showed their frustration by pelting the office with tomatoes as they denounced the alleged massive corruption happening in the agency.
Members of Bayan-Central Visayas, Sanlakas Cebu, and the Kabataan party-list, who gathered outside the DPWH office, said pelting the agency’s signage with ripe tomatoes was a symbol of what they deemed as a “flood of corruption” under the Marcos administration.
The group accused DPWH of implementing non-existing projects or the so-called ghost projects while communities continue to suffer from severe flooding.
Ian Peter Guanzon, vice chairperson of Kabataan party-list Cebu City, said the demonstration was to condemn and demand accountability from DPWH and Marcos administration.
Malou Avila, spokesperson of the DPWH-Cebu City District, appealed for patience but stressed that the criticisms against the agency are being acknowledged.
“We in the DPWH, particularly the Cebu City District Engineering Office, are concerned. We are in the process of doing the best we can do to provide solutions. But that would not be easy,” Avila said.
Amid the corruption issues, Avila said flood mitigation plans are being reevaluated in coordination with the local government units.
From the DPWH office, protesters proceeded to the Department of Labor and Employment-Central Visayas (DOLE-7) office.
Members of AMA Sugbo-KMU and Bayan-Central Visayas called for the implementation of a P1,200 daily national minimum wage.
Jaime Paglinawan, chairperson of Bayan-Central Visayas, said workers continue to receive meager salaries while the country’s top corporations continue to rake in profits.
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said the twin rallies were peaceful, noting that no untoward incidents happened.
Police Col. Enrico Figueroa, chief of CCPO, said there were 20 to 25 protesters who joined the rallies.