SP infra body urges DPWH exec to keep watch of GMA road works
All's well that ends well. Or so it is now for the Capitol's Committee on Infrastructure particularly with the committee chair, Second District Board Member June Mondejar.
This, as a conclusion was reached on the legislative investigation and public hearing aimed at getting a clearer view on a P319 million road project for the province.
Set to be presented in today's regular session, two resolutions will be recommended for adoption by the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP). Both are addressed to Regional Director Rolando Asis of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for Western Visayas.
The DPWH is tasked to implement the multi-million road project initially questioned by Mondejar. Top DPWH executives and engineers were called to shed light on the legislative query. Among those present were DPWH Assistant Regional Directors Judy Cordon and Berna Coca, Planning Engineer Danilo Peroy and Materials Engineer Luvisminda Narciso. Barangay officials from the towns of Sta. Barbara and New Lucena were also present alongside Provincial Engineer Gracianito Lucero. A representative from the Mayor's Office of New Lucena likewise came as a resource person.
The committee was furnished documents sent by Director Asis as Cordon explained that the P319 million project is a “commitment project” of President Gloria Arroyo.
Funds, the committee gathered, were only made available recently as apologies were extended on “lapses” to inform the Iloilo Provincial Government.
The P319 million covers a portion of the road network from New Lucena and Sta. Barbara, same area the DPWH also had road rehabilitation works done in the previous years.
“Engineer Narciso clarified that the unexpected cracks of the Sta. Barbara-New Lucena provincial road the first time it was concreted sometime in 1990 was caused by the failure of the design. Engineer Cordon made the assurance that these unexpected cracks suffered a few months after the concrete curing due to failure of the design will not be repeated in this P319M worth of road improvement,” excerpts of the committee report went.
Up for adoption is a Resolution urging Director Asis “to undertake measures so as to prevent the repetition of the defects that caused the unexpected cracks the first time the subject road was concreted sometime in 1990.”
And another one with similar sentiments that defects in a previous P41 million worth of San Miguel national road will not be repeated in the asphalting portion of the Presidential commitment road works.
To note, Director Asis in a clarification told The News Today (TNT) that total length of the road to be worked on here is 20.473 kilometers.Three sections be asphalted and concreted, the particulars of which included “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).”