Across the country, a troubling pattern has become impossible to ignore.
Infrastructure projects worth millions crumble far too soon, sometimes even before the paint has dried.
Roads wash away after the first heavy rain, flood controls collapse under predictable weather, and public buildings develop cracks long before their intended lifespan.
These are not isolated mishaps but symptoms of a deeper, systemic failure.
At the heart of the problem is the treatment of public infrastructure as disposable.
Projects built to comply on paper, not to endure in reality.
Funds are released, ribbon cuttings are held, and completion reports are filed, yet durability and safety are quietly sidelined.
When structures fail, the narrative often shifts to “unexpected” natural forces, conveniently ignoring that these forces were precisely what the infrastructure was meant to withstand.
Weak planning and compromised implementation play a major role.
Engineering designs are sometimes reduced to cost-cutting exercises, where the lowest bidder wins at the expense of quality materials and sound construction practices.
Supervision is frequently lax, inspections become procedural rather than rigorous, and accountability dissolves once the project is declared complete.
The result is infrastructure that meets minimum specifications but fails real world conditions.
Equally damaging is the absence of consequences.
When a flood control collapses or a road deteriorates prematurely, repairs are funded by new allocations, effectively rewarding failure with another contract.
This cycle normalizes waste and dulls public outrage, while communities bear the cost through disrupted livelihoods, safety risks, and repeated inconvenience.
Infrastructure is not merely about spending money; it is about building trust.
Every failed structure reinforces public skepticism that government projects serve contractors more than citizens.
Breaking this cycle requires stricter standards, independent audits, and real penalties for substandard work.
Public funds are not disposable and neither should be the structures built with them.