City still accountable to contractor of anomaly-ridden housing project--COA
Iloilo City's multi-million in idle and cannibalized housing property with construction works done at over P80 million thus far still owes the contractor P14.2 million. As such, the Iloilo City government must pay-up amidst controversies surrounding the project including continued deterioration of the units meant to house employees.
The amount as validated was reached after Technical Audit Specialists (TAS) were sent by the Commission on Audit (COA) to examine, inspect and report on the work accomplishment in the construction site in Pavia, Iloilo.
Such came about after conflicting data was then presented by the Iloilo City Engineer's Office and project contractor Ace Builders Corporation. COA in the technical audit noted eight findings including the payment of P14,244, 203.43 for work accomplished pegged at 61.70%.
'To pay or not to pay' has since besieged City Hall yet if COA is to be heeded, the contractors did that much job and built that much worth of housing units.
The P14.2 million is some P5.5 million less of the earlier billing submitted by Ace Builders following COA confirmation that substandard materials were used and "deficient" units constructed. The Commission in its report to City officials moved to deduct the P5.5 million as computed of the substandard and deficiency discovered.
Other COA findings disclosed the conflicting City Engineer's and Ace Builder's work accomplishment in the thickness of the total land area developed in terms of clearing and grubbing. COA also suggested that the item "Excavation" in the construction be deleted in the contract for the total project area is "on fill." Simply put, there is nothing to excavate.
The COA's technical audit was made back in November last year. It was not immediately clear why it took the City at least eight months to present the matter at the City Council only yesterday (Wednesday).
Meantime, COA calls on the City Government to resolve the housing project in order not to cause further disadvantage and wastage of government funds spent thus far here.
The housing units remain in deplorable conditions and has since not been secured by the City from trespassers resulting to units being destroyed and cannibalized.
In last Wednesday's regular session of the Sangguniang Panglungsod the COA's appraisal of the city government's standing obligation to ABE was referred to the committee on engineering, construction and public works chaired by City Councilor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
Apparently, there was no objection or comment from any member of the City Council when the matter was presented to the august body.
(With a report from Maricar Calubiran)