SP body concludes probe on multi-million DPWH road works
The Committee on Infrastructure of the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) concluded its probe on the P319 million worth of government road projects.
As such, expected next week is the committee’s findings and recommendations following public hearings held in the Capitol. Led by Second District Board Member June Mondejar, invited as principal resource persons were key officials and government engineers with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office 6.
The legislative investigation came amidst questions raised by Mondejar on the specifics of the multi-million road projects. This as queries made by the second district board member with the Provincial Engineer’s Office (PEO) caused more questions rather than answers.
Mondejar in a privilege speech expressed fears that the government funding might go to substandard infrastructure works anew.
“Never again,” he then said in a privilege speech as he called the attention of DPWH hierarchy and raised questions on the P319 million road rehabilitation project.
DPWH regional director Rolando Asis in a letter wrote Mondejar to clarify specifics surrounding the questioned DPWH road project.
Turned out, the P319 million national government funding was actually for a comprehensive road network covering new Iloilo and Capiz routes. Revised contract cost trimmed down the budget to P306.7 million.
A clarification was likewise made by Director Asis to The News Today (TNT) on earlier reports gathered from the discussions in the SP.
“Contrary to the report that the alleged P319 million worth of road rehabilitation will be utilized only for an eight kilometer road and that each kilometer costs P30 million, please be informed that the total length of the road is 20.473 kilometers and not eight kilometers. There are three sections that will have to be asphalted and concreted.
a) Section 1 – Asphalt Overlay of Bga. Dawis-Pototan Road, km. 21+700 to km. 29+868.70 and Cabatuan-New Lucena Road, km. 42+329 to km. 40+300 (with exception); b) Section II – Concreting of New Lucena-Sta. Barbara Road, sta. 0+000 to sta. 9+214, with exception; and c) Concreting of Bga. Dawis-Bga. Bante Road, km. 21+640-km.23+382,” Director Asis wrote. “The said road is an access road to the New Iloilo Airport with a total contract cost of Three Hundred Six Million Seven Hundred Fifty Eight Thousand and Eight Hundred Eighty Seven Pesos and 98/100 (P306,758,887.98).”
As for PEO’s lack of project knowledge, Director Asis wrote, “Contrary to the report that the Provincial Engineer's Office of the Province of Iloilo does not know the existence of the subject project, be informed that the office has already furnished the Office of the Governor through the Provincial Administrator copy of the technical data/project profile of the project.”