The Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Friday approved the joint committee on government properties and public accountability’s move for Department of Education (DepEd) through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to cause the blacklisting of contractors who abandoned public school buildings construction they’ve undertaken.
Provincial ex-officio Board Member (BM) Gloria Gementiza, president, Philippine Councilors’ League Bohol chapter and government properties chairperson, recommended for such blacklisting of contractors in her joint committee report dated June 02, 2017 to SP.
This came after BM Elpidio M. Jala raised the abandoning of the construction of elementary school building in Baclayon town, the joint committee report signed by BM Dionisio Victor Balite, public accountability committee chairman; BM Abeleon Damalerio, BM Jade Bautista aside from Gementiza, showed.
Blacklisted are Angas Construction, F. Z. Tiu Construction and Rubilyn Construction.
Gementiza said that Angas Construction “handled the project in Mabini; a 10-classroom building. After the earthquake, Angas construction left the said project. DepEd made another program of work and initiated a re-bid. Presently, 90% of the said project is reportedly completed.”
F.Z. Tiu handled the projects in the towns of Balilihan and Napo, Loon. “As per report, the projects were 80% complete but were totally damaged after the earthquake. F. Z. Tiu has to start from square one, hence they abandoned it.”
Rubilyn Construction engaged in the construction of school buildings in Getafe town. “right after Yolanda, this construction firm which is Leyte-based could no longer be contacted, Hence, the project is terminated,” Gementiza said.
Those who are not blacklisted are APU Construction and M. D. Biliran, the report showed.
But APU Construction’s projects in the towns of Alburquerque, Alicia, Anda, (Lonoy) in Inabanga and (Angilan) Antequera remained unfinished, Gementiza said. “So far for APU only finished the roof beam they abandoned the said projects after the earthquake and typhoon.” DepEd tried to contact APU “yet efforts proved futile. The said projects had been terminated by the region.”
Gementiza had this to say: M. D. Biliran handles the completed two-storey school project in Cabanugan, San Isidro; and those of barangay Monserat, Cortes; and Balilihan.
The SP also approved the recommendation for speeding up of the application for Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the deserted Baclayon Central Elem. School construction at a critical mangrove area.
Earlier, former Bohol PENRO forester Nestor Canda confirmed that the contractor or even the DepEd or DPWH did not bother to secure the required ECC for them to build the building at mangrove plantation.
Gementiza said that the Php15,514,622.69 for the Baclayon Central Elem. School construction undertaken by RUDHILL Construction was not enough that may have caused for the contractor to abandoned it.
“There lots of modifications which include the pile driven foundation instead of ordinary foundation only for the building now had to be constructed on top of the water (mangrove area) compared to the original design which was to be constructed on land.”
Gementiza said that the stakeholders were already aware that the said fund would not be enough in the construction of the project now that it is being erected at mangrove area, “yet, they decided to push thru with this project for fear that the funding would revert to the national office.”
The project originally entails the construction of two units of buildings (two-storey with 8 classrooms and another two-storey with two classrooms, she said. But now after modifications, it is reduced to only two-storey with 10 classrooms.
Gementiza said that contrary to the report, the said project (Baclayon Central Elem School) was not deserted by the contractor but for fund deficit. “It’s just that this is now what the budget could afford,” following its construction at mangrove area, she said. (rvo)