18/08/2026
9 YEARS. โฑ999 MILLION. COMMUNITIES ARE STILL WAITING.
Rice Terraces Buried, Forests ClearedโDENR Halts the Bugo-Gen. Fullon Road on May 11, 2026. Now the LGU of San Remigio Must Act.
SAN REMIGIO, ANTIQUE - August 18, 2026 - AMLIG today formally requests the Sangguniang Bayan of San Remigio, Antique, to conduct a legislative investigation into the multi-year San RemigioโBugoโGen. Fullon/Valderrama Road Project, implemented by the DPWH Region VI since 2017.
The project consists of eight contracts worth approximately โฑ999.29 millionโfunds that, after nearly a decade, have yet to deliver the connectivity that upland communities have long awaited. While AMLIG fully recognizes the importance of this road to the people of San Remigio and supports the long-standing aspiration of communities for improved access and economic opportunity, development must proceed within the bounds of the law. Communities deserve roads that are built legally, safely, and without sacrificing the very environment on which they dependโthe forests, watersheds, and farmlands that sustain their lives and livelihoods.
Ecological Devastation Documented; Rice Terraces Buried
Recent field investigations by the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of San Remigio, supported by satellite imagery, documented severe environmental damage, including:
โ Rice terraces belonging to at least 11 farmers buried beneath 10โ12 feet of debris and silt;
โ Bawang Creek expanding from roughly 2 meters to 40โ50 meters because of massive sediment deposition, threatening nearby homes;
โ Unauthorized blasting activities allegedly conducted without permits from the PNP-FEO.
Satellite imagery further indicates that approximately 10 hectares of classified forestland have been cleared or excavated along the mountain slopes of Barangays Atabay and Bawang, while more than 2 hectares of rice terraces and residential areas have been buried by erosion.
Communities Are Still Waiting; A 525-Meter Gravel Road Costs P143 Million
Despite nearly a decade of construction and almost โฑ1 billion in public investment, only around 11 kilometers have been completed. Barangays Banbanan and General Fullon and adjacent barangays continue to face difficult access to essential services, markets, schools, and emergency care.
Based on the DPWH Transparency Portal, a segment of the road under Project ID 23G00008 cost โฑ143,025,000 for a mere 525 meters of gravel road. This translates to an astronomical โฑ272,380 per linear meter. The project is located on the slopes of Bawang, San Remigio, in an area classified as forestland. Although it was awarded to contractor IBC in 2023 with a target completion date in 2024, the project was only 56% complete after three years when the DENR issued a stop-work order in May 2026.
At the project's current paceโroughly 1.2 kilometers per year over the last nine yearsโthe remaining 7 to 9 kilometers leading to General Fullon could take another six to seven years to complete if the same pattern continues. Communities should not have to wait another decade for a road that could have been delivered sooner had it been planned and implemented in full compliance with the law from the beginning.
Environmental Laws Cannot Be Ignored
The environmental concerns surrounding this project cannot simply be treated as technical deficiencies.
The affected area forms part of the southern portion of the Central Panay Mountain Range (CPMR)โa globally recognized Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) and one of the Philippines' most important remaining forest ecosystems. The CPMR serves as the watershed for numerous municipalities and is home to endangered and endemic wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.
Precisely because of its ecological significance, activities within these forestlands are subject to strict legal safeguards under environmental and forestry laws. Compliance with these requirements is not a bureaucratic obstacle; it is a legal safeguard intended to protect communities from landslides, flooding, watershed degradation, and irreversible biodiversity loss.
DENR Stoppage Order Was Legally Necessary
On May 11, 2026, the DENR-CENRO ordered the immediate stoppage of the project for violations of Presidential Decree No. 705 (Revised Forestry Code).
DPWH Region VI's own validation report confirmed that the project lacked critical mandatory permitsโincluding an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), a Gratuitous Special Land Use Permit (GSUP), a Tree Cutting Permit, and other required clearancesโand acknowledged that the project qualifies as an Environmentally Critical Project (ECP) requiring a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that had never been secured.
Part of a Larger Pattern Across Antique
The San Remigio road project is not an isolated case. It mirrors a pattern already documented in several major DPWH infrastructure projects across Antique.
The PandanโIbajay Road, the Laua-anโTapaz Road, and segments of the Panay EastโWest Road in Valderrama all faced serious regulatory violations, including the absence of mandatory environmental permits, unauthorized activities within forestlands, and construction despite legal deficiencies.
These projects collectively involve more than ninety DPWH contracts worth over โฑ7 billion that AMLIG has brought to the attention of the DPWH Secretary, DENR, EMB, and other oversight agencies as part of its province-wide campaign for accountability.
We Trust the San Remigio LGU to Lead Responsibly
AMLIG recognizes and supports the efforts of San Remigio's local officials in pursuing road access for geographically isolated communities. Infrastructure remains essential for farmers, students, workers, and emergency services.
Recent developments elsewhere in Antique demonstrate that proactive local action matters. In Pandan, the Sangguniang Bayan's investigation helped expose environmental violations that eventually resulted in DENR enforcement actions and subsequent Ombudsman complaints against responsible officials and contractors. This experience illustrates the value of timely local oversight.
Unfortunately some LGUs failed to exercise this mandate and are now facing ombudsman complaints for negligence.
We trust that the Sangguniang Bayan of San Remigio will exercise diligence by examining the documented violations, protecting affected communities, and helping ensure that the project ultimately proceeds in a lawful and environmentally responsible manner.
Call for Justice, Accountability, and Responsible Development
AMLIG calls on the Sangguniang Bayan of San Remigio to:
โ Investigate the documented ecological damage and regulatory violations;
โ Require DPWH and its contractors to rehabilitate damaged rice terraces and restore natural drainage systems;
โ Urge the DPWH to comply with all mandatory permits so that the road construction will proceed;
โ Ensure that affected farmers and residents are properly identified, consulted, and fairly compensated;
โ Recommend appropriate actions against those found responsible for violations of environmental and public accountability laws.
Willing to Work with the LGU
AMLIG stands ready to cooperate fully with the LGU and provide any assistance necessary during its investigation.
We believe the people of San Remigio should never be forced to choose between development and environmental protection. They deserve bothโa road that connects communities and a government that respects the law while protecting the Central Panay Mountain Range, the farms, watersheds, and future generations that depend on it.
