District engineer blames Iloilo City officials for delayed infrastructure projects
By Tara Yap
ILOILO CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways-Iloilo City said the delay in infrastructure projects here was caused by officials in the administration of Mayor Jerry Treñas.

MAYOR Jerry Treñas (left) and Engr. Roy Pacanan, officer-in-charge of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Iloilo City, during a meeting. Pacanan has twice been declared persona non grata by the Treñas administration. (Arnold Almacen/CMO/File)
“The real cause of the delays in the completion and handover of projects constructed are the officials of the city government themselves,” said DPWH-Iloilo District Engineer Roy Pacanan Pacanan in a March 5 memorandum addressed to DPWH-6 Regional Director Sanny Boy Oropel.
“The constituents of Iloilo City are not naive to be misled by this scheme,” added Pacanan.
Pacanan issued the memorandum prior to the March 7 clarificatory meeting called by the city government.
He said representatives from DPWH-Iloilo City will attend without him.
Pacanan was declared persona non grata twice last year by the city government – an executive order by Treñas and an Iloilo City Council resolution.
Among the incomplete projects blamed on DPWH-Iloilo City were the redevelopment of the Mandurriao Public Market in Mandurriao District and the multi-purpose buildings in Barangays Tanza-Esperanza and Concepcion in City Proper District, Katilingbans and North Fundidor in Molo District, and Balantang and San Isidro in Jaro District.
Some of these were among the key projects that the Iloilo City Council cancelled. These also had funding facilitated by Iloilo City Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda, Treñas’ former political ally.
Pacanan defended DPWH-Iloilo City in the memorandum. He said that the Office of the Building Official under the Iloilo City government has been delaying the issuance of necessary permits as part of the political ploy of the Treñas administration.