COA: P337.5-M MMDA ood control projects un nished

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) failed to complete 47 flood control projects worth P337.485 million that could have addressed the perennial flooding in the metropolis, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.

In an annual audit report uploaded on its website yesterday, the COA said 68 contracts totaling P452.317 million were awarded in 2017 for the projects’ implementation, but as of Dec. 31, 2017, only 21 projects or 25.36 percent were completed while 11 projects (16.18 percent) were ongoing and 36 projects (52.94 percent) have not even started as of yearend.

Among the bigger projects long been past their target completion dates include the “deepening” of the MalabonNavotas river (P28 million); drainage improvement in Llano Road, Caloocan (P14.1 million); bank improvement in Maysan, Valenzuela (P14.33 million); riprapping of Veinte Reales creek, Valenzuela (P14.1 million); riprapping of Buli creek, Pasig (P14.1 million); Phase II of the drainage improvement in Sta. Ana, Manila (P9.12 million); drainage improvement in San Agustin, Quezon City (P8.1 million); dredging of Maytunas creek, Mandaluyong (P7.9 million); drainage improvement in Tumana, Marikina (P7 million); and rehabilitation of riprap and desilting of Palico creek, Muntinlupa (P4.4 million).

MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia agreed with the COA that the projects were delayed because of the agency’s leadership transition. He said they needed “to fix everything,” including conducting internal cleansing.

The MMDA was headed by officers-in-charge Emerson Carlos (April to August 2016) and Thomas Orbos (August 2016 to May 2017) until President Duterte appointed Danilo Lim to be the agency’s chairman.