November 13, 2025 | 7:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Hi-Tone Construction Corp. may face a case from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for failing to repair a collapsed seawall in Navotas City and causing severe flooding.
After inspecting flood control structures in Navotas City post-Typhoon “Uwan,” Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said on Wednesday that a gap had formed in a Manila Bay seawall, caused by a barge belonging to Hi-Tone Construction, a top flood control contractor.
“‘Yun pong barge na may dredger siya, nabangga nung huling bagyo nabangga ‘yung flood wall nasira, nabutas,” he said over Super Radyo dzBB on November 12.
(The barge with a dredger collided during the last storm, hitting the flood wall, which was damaged and punctured.)
Hi-Tone Construction is owned by Christopher Co, the brother of former Rep. Elizaldy Co, who has been facing allegations of corruption amid the flood control scandal.
Dizon said four months have already passed, yet the seawall has not been repaired. The collapsed seawall eventually caused residents in Navotas to experience severe flooding during Typhoon “Uwan.”
Given the importance of flood control structures in protecting low-lying coastal areas from storm surges, the DPWH chief said the seawall must be repaired immediately.
But instead of having Hi-Tone Construction carry out the repairs, Dizon said the DPWH will handle the work to avoid risking any more delays. Still, he said the contractor will have to bear the cost and pay back the government for the damages caused.
“DPWH na lang ang mapapagawa, pero kakasuhan na lang namin si Hi-Tone dahil sa ginawa niyang pinsala doon. Tapos kailangan ibalik niya ang perang gagastusin ng gobyerno kasi hindi na tayo makakapaghintay,” he said.
(The DPWH will handle the repairs, but we will file a case against Hi-Tone for the damage they caused. They will also have to reimburse the government for the cost, since we can’t afford to wait.)
Navotas City is located just along the eastern shoreline of Manila Bay, which explains why the damaged seawall could cause water to spill into the city.
Repairing the seawall may start this week, Dizon said.
Estero de Paco floodgate
The DPWH has also directed the repair of Manila’s Estero de Paco floodgate, which gave way under the heavy floodwaters from Uwan over the weekend.
“So bumigay ‘yung gate mismo at dahil doon hindi na magamit yung mga pumping station sa Estero de Paco,” Dizon said. (The gate itself gave way, and as a result, the pumping stations in Estero de Paco could no longer be used.)
He added that, since the floodgate is still covered by warranty, the contractor could repair it and the pumps within two weeks, ensuring they can withstand strong storms like Uwan. Repairs started on Tuesday, November 11.
In the meantime, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will deploy mobile pumps for the three barangays affected by the damaged Estero de Paco floodgate.
The pumps will allow any water to flow through the canal or creek, so that Paco, Manila residents won’t have to suffer high floodwaters when it rains.
Dizon said the DPWH will look into the floodgate’s contract should there be any anomalies in its construction, but for now, it is more urgent to have it repaired while the country experiences typhoons.