The controversial Mabuhay Underpass Project in General Santos City was featured in the August 31 episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), as part of the program’s ongoing investigative series on flood control infrastructure across the country.
Prompted by a concerned citizen’s appeal, the segment aimed to raise public awareness and demand accountability for the stalled ₱814.1-million project—touted as GenSan’s largest infrastructure investment to date.
Originally launched on June 23, 2022, the underpass was scheduled for completion by September 2024, but has since been delayed to December 2025 due to drainage and groundwater complications.
The KMJS episode included interviews with key stakeholders, including GenSan’s lone district representative, Cong. Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles, who sponsored the project during her previous term.
She clarified that she was not in office during the project's implementation. Now that she is back in Congress, she has initiated meetings with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to investigate the delays and irregularities.
DPWH Bureau of Construction Director Allan Borromeo denied allegations of corruption, while City Engineering Office representative Engr. Ronald Nuñeza attributed the delay to the project's interference with groundwater levels.
In contrast, Louie Ceniza, Chairperson of the Philippine Anti-Corruption Czar (PACC), claimed the project was effectively abandoned by both the contractor and DPWH.
In a separate report posted on August 26 via PACC’s official Facebook page, the agency described the underpass at the Mabuhay–Bulaong and Digos–Makar junction as a “monument of poor planning,” citing its role in worsening flooding, traffic congestion, and business closures.
The contractor identified in the KMJS episode was Vincente T. Lao Construction.
Despite an official project cost of ₱681 million, PACC noted that ₱814.1 million had already been allocated between 2021 and 2024, raising questions about fund disbursement and oversight.
In response, Cong. Bañas-Nograles shared the KMJS segment on her official Facebook page and announced that her office had formally requested the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit of the project. She also plans to deliver a privilege speech in the House of Representatives to elevate the issue to the national stage.
“My commitment to you is clear: we will get to the bottom of this mess. We will not stop until this project is completed to the standard you deserve—free from corruption and irregularities. The people of General Santos deserve better. Together, we will see this project through,” her statement read.
(Photos from KMJS Facebook page)
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