This time, it's road cracks galore in the home of where the heart is—home of first district Cong. Edgar Chatto, Balilihan. In text messages received by the Post over the weekend, just like what happened in the Dauis-Panglao center road, the Cortes-Balilihan road concreting project was also suffering from widespread cracks. Cong. Chatto who is now on his third and final term was seen as having nurtured a lasting legacy right in his own backyard. There's no wonder then that through his Countryside Development Fund, a big portion of it was poured in to make a showcase out of his own town in the field of road infrastructure. But what appeared to be a showcase of sort is fast emerging as a case of the congressman demanding the contractor a show cause why he should not be prosecuted for such a lousy construction job because it took place right in the very noses of the congressman's constituency.

The irony of it all was that right in front of the legislator's house in Balilihan was where the road pavement job was snaking through and where the roads cracks were exposed for all the Balilinhons to see. Informed of another incident of construction short cut, First Highway District Engineer Celestino Adlaon admitted that there indeed were cracks in the road works in Balilihan ”but they were insignificant”. He said if the regional inspectorate of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Region VII will order a redone of the Balilihan project, the district engineer will lose no time in making the back job order.

Cong. Chatto was also as concerned. The Balilihan lawmaker said good quality wokd within required standards is a must. Saying he cannot and will not tolerate anything less, Cong. Chatto declared that he had already asked the office of Engr. Adlaon to check on the report of road cracks. The congressman also said that he already wrote the DPWH regional office to have the project inspected and investigated immediately for appropriate action. Following reports of the road mess right in his own hometown, the congressman said he called a meeting with Mayor Victoria Chatto and V-Mayor Domiciano Chatto and all barangay captains where the roads are located to closely monitor the project implementation. He also asked the DPWH to quickly respond to this concern while construction work is still going on.