
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (October 6) — What was supposed to be a routine inspection turned into a firm reminder from the Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (ASSCAT): ghost projects and substandard work will not be tolerated.
ASSCAT President Joy C. Capistrano, with Vice Presidents Carmelo S. Llanto and Ferdinand A. Dumalagan, made a surprise visit on September 29 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 in Bunawan town.
Flanked by engineers from the Project Management Unit, the officials inspected building materials, construction pace, and compliance with timelines.
“We owe it to the taxpayers and to our students to make sure every peso is spent wisely,” Capistrano said during the visit.
The CTE Building, slated for completion in May 2026, will house modern classrooms, faculty rooms, and offices, while the Graduate Studies Building is expected to provide upgraded facilities for advanced academic and research work.
“These are not just structures, they are investments in the future of our students,” Llanto added.
For Dumalagan, the inspection was also a signal to contractors: “No shortcuts, no cover-ups. What we build here must stand the test of time.”
The administration’s firm stance echoes a broader national concern over billions lost to unfinished or poorly built government projects — but on this campus, officials insist, accountability will be the rule.