Pamana contractor urged to fast track project

TINGLAYAN, Kalinga - Mayor Sacrament Gumilab demanded Zabu Engineering, a local contractor to fast track completion of the Bugnay-Butbut road concreting project in the town.

Gumilab’s demand stemmed from the failure of the contractor to complete project within the target completion date and after finding that payment was more than what was accomplished.

The P48 million concreting project of the 2.3-kilometer and 900meter road opening of the Bugnay-Butbut road funded under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) in 2015 through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) was supposed to be completed in November 2016. It was also found out that there was overpayment payment vis a vis actual accomplishment.

The local government unit reported 77 percent accomplishment. However, monitoring conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government last week found out only 55 percent was accomplished. A deficit of 15,000 cubic meters of excavation incurred by the contractor was also reported by the Municipal Engineering Office (MEO).

Engr. Max Mayer Adong, DILG OIC, said the project is under-accomplished yet overpaid after the contractor collected P38 million. He lamented MEO’s lack of “as built plan” in monitoring the actual phase by phase accomplishment or volume of work accomplished.

He said his office conducted series of meetings with LGU officials and the contractor including an everyThursday weekly consultation in order to keep the project going. “We issued the contractor a catch-up plan for them to comply,” Adong stressed.

Kalinga is a recipient of 14 PAMANA projects in 2015 and 2016 worth P111 million including the -ongoing P40M Wagod bridge in Pinukpuk, four communal irrigation systems, two potable water systems, a foot bridge, three warehouses, and a pathway.

Another unfinished Pamana project which the community people are clamoring to be completed is the P32million concreting of Asibanglan road in Pinukpuk. It was funded by OPAPP in 2016 and reported to be 24 percent accomplished.

It can be recalled construction stopped after the burning of a backhoe of the contractor on March 30 this year.

Barangay Chairman Celino Baggay of Asibanglan reached out to authorities for the continuation of said project while investigation of the burning has not concluded yet.

Adong urged

citizens to be vigilant in their role to support government by helping monitor the implementation of projects or to report irregularities. He said the Ombudsman acts on complaints filed in their office citing the case of two barangay chairmen who are awaiting their suspension by the Ombudsman for failing on their sworn duties to uphold tenets of good governance. Peter Balocnit/ PIA - CAR