By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur— A routine inspection turned into a firm reminder that the Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (ASSCAT) in Bunawan town in Agusan del Sur will not tolerate ghost projects or substandard work that wastes public funds.
ASSCAT President Dr. Joy C. Capistrano, along with Vice Presidents Dr. Carmelo S. Llanto and Dr. Ferdinand A. Dumalagan, made a surprise visit to the construction sites of two multi-million-peso projects—the ₱ 37 million College of Teacher Education (CTE) Building Phase I and the ₱ 18.45 million Graduate Studies Building.
This development was posted on the ASSCAT social media page on September 29 with a headline in capital letters: BAWAL ANG SUBSTANDARD ug GHOST PROJECTS.
Accompanied by in-house engineers from the Project Management Unit, the top officials scrutinized the quality of materials, construction pace, and compliance with the timeline. Their presence was more than ceremonial—it was an assertion that no shortcut, delay, or cover-up will be allowed under their watch.
The CTE Building, set for completion in May 2026, is designed to host modern classrooms, faculty rooms, and offices, while the Graduate Studies Building will house upgraded spaces for advanced academic work and research.
But beyond their architectural promise, these structures now serve as test cases for the administration’s drive to impose strict accountability in infrastructure spending.
The move reflects a broader concern in government-funded projects nationwide, where billions have been lost to unfinished or poorly built structures. ASSCAT’s top management has made it clear: taxpayers deserve full value for every peso spent, and ghost projects have no place in the campus or the community.
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