4,786 Cement Bags Hardened in Warehouses in City Cost P1.1M

The spot inspection by Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya and team at the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) warehouse, located within the Bacolod City College compound, found 4,686 cement bags, and another 100 in another warehouse in Brgy. Alijis that had solidified and become unusable. The inspection, conducted on Saturday, September 6, 2025, was also joined by key department heads.

Mayor Gasataya expressed disappointment upon discovering the wasted construction materials, estimated to be worth P1.1 million.

“It could have gone a long way, for building additional classrooms, barangay infrastructure projects and more,” Gasataya said. He has ordered the CEO to provide an explanation, sayi g “there’s something that needs to be done. This might be painful and there will be resistance, but we will do something out-of-the-box. If this means filing cases, we will do so.”

The discovery was a result of the mayor’s directive to the newly-formed Inventory Team to conduct comprehensive audit of all government assets, including stocks and supplies under the CEO. The audit eventually uncovered the hardened cement.

“These were intended for city projects being implemented by the City Engineer’s Office. I’m expecting the report within three days to determine who will be accountable for this,” the mayor stated, suggesting that charges may be filed against those responsible.

CEO Officer-in-Charge Engr. Loben Ceballos confirmed that some of the cement bags had been stored for several years, dating back to when supplies were moved from the old storage area during the construction of the Bacolod City College complex.

“The hardened cement came from the old warehouse that’s why we made it into a bedding for the new cements to avoid damaging the stocks but due to the number of stocks, this happened,” Ceballos explained.

In an effort to prevent future wastage, the local government has initiated the construction of a P67-million warehouse in the Bredco area, with completion expected within the year.

Ceballos emphasized that clear standards must be established to ensure efficient supply and asset management in the future.

In addition to the warehouse in Barangay Taculing, the mayor also inspected the CEO and General Services Office warehouses located within the City Agriculture Office compound in Barangay Alijis. He also noted that the Midway Facility required repairs and cleanup. Originally built during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic as a Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility, it now serves as temporary office storage for several city departments.* (W/ Bacolod City Communications Office)