Pinamungajan mayor defends P1.1-M comfort room project

Local

A VIRAL social media post questioning the P1.153-million cost of a comfort room project at the public beach in Barangay Tajao, Pinamungajan, has stirred discussion on social media.

The online post quickly gained traction, prompting Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro to address the issue and emphasize transparency in public projects.

Baricuatro, in an interview on Thursday, Oct. 16, urged local government officials to strengthen openness and accountability in infrastructure spending.

She said genuine transparency means allowing the public to see every detail of how government funds are spent.

“So, if ni talk siya about transparency, dapat iguwa niya ang itemized cost sa items, unya ang bidding process i-public gyud na niya,” Baricuatro said. “The people deserve to know, the taxpayers deserve to know,” she added.

The governor’s remarks came after Pinamungajan Mayor Glenn Baricuatro clarified that the P1.153-million comfort room project is not overpriced and has undergone proper review and approval processes.

In a statement, the mayor explained that the total amount covers not only the cost of materials but also labor, Value-Added Tax (VAT), and Overhead, Contingencies, and Miscellaneous (OCM) expenses that are standard in all government-funded projects.

He said the project is funded through the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) Incentive Fund awarded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The mayor added that the project remains under construction and that the contractor has not yet been paid.

Payment, he said, will only be made once the facility is completed, inspected, and formally accepted.

He also noted that the project has secured a Notice to Implement from DILG Central Visayas—serving as proof that the construction complies with legal and administrative standards.

The local government of Pinamungajan said all documents related to the project are available for public viewing at the municipal hall and urged residents to verify information before posting or commenting online.(MyTVCebu)