ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Government is keen on taking the responsibility from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), particularly its city district engineering office, over several long-delayed infrastructure projects in the metro.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas expressed his disappointment as these uncompleted projects have been white elephants for years; while others, aside from delayed completion resulting to liquidated damages, have been constructed without building permits.
“Extreme prejudice has resulted to the residents of the city due to the delay of these projects,” Treñas stressed.
The concerned projects are the Mandurriao Public Market and the multipurpose buildings/evacuation centers in barangays San Isidro, Jaro district; Tanza Esperanza in the City Proper; Sta. Filomena in Arevalo district; Balantang in Jaro; and Katilingban in Molo district.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) also passed a resolution revoking the authority of DPWH to construct these projects.
“The DPWH has consistently failed to complete its ongoing projects in a timely manner, resulting in significant delays, budget overruns, and public inconvenience,” the resolution read.
Treñas said he will look for funds to complete the projects.
The construction of the Mandurriao Public Market is being done by phase. Phase 1, with a contract amount of P7,711,402.40, started Oct. 28, 2021 and should have been completed by March 24, 2022; but based on records, it has been three months delayed and was completed on June 20, 2022.
The ongoing construction of Phase 2, on the other hand, has already incurred liquidated damages because it has been delayed by one year and eight months as of this month. With a contract amount of P85,981,731.20, it should have been completed by Oct. 1, 2022. Records showed the project had a revised contract amount of P86,850,000.
Meanwhile, the ongoing construction of multipurpose building s in Tanza Esperanza (Phase 2 with contract amount of P24 million), Balantang (Phase 2 with contract amount of P9.8 million), and Katilingban (Phase 2 with contract amount of P11 million) as well as the San Isidro Evacuation Center (Phase 3 with contract amount of P19.7 million) have been suspended due to their lack of building permits.
Phase 1 of the Tanza Esperanza Multipurpose Building, with project cost of P19.4 million, though completed on March 11, 2023, suffered a six-month delay from the original date of completion which was September 12, 2022.
Likewise, the P14.4-million Balantang Multipurpose Building Phase 1 was completed with delay for six months after it was only completed on Feb. 3, 2023 from the supposed target date of completion on Aug. 5, 2022.
The Katilingban Multipurpose Building Phase 1 with contract amount of P11 million was completed on March 16, 2022.
Meanwhile, the San Isidro Evacuation Center Phases 1 and 2 have been completed in Aug. 23, 2022 and April 8, 2024, respectively.
Moreover, the P9.1-million Sta. Filomena, Arevalo Multipurpose Building is said to have been completed on Feb. 10, 2024, with a delay of one year and four months from the original date of completion on Oct. 19, 2022. However, actual photos taken on June 13, 2024 showed that the project is not finished yet.
“The delays in the completion of infrastructure projects have adversely impacted economic activities, disrupted daily lives, and undermined public trust in the government’s ability to deliver essential services,” the SP resolution further stated.
In passing the resolution, the city council believed there is a need to ensure accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness in the implementation of infrastructure projects to maximize public benefit and uphold the principles of good governance.
Thus, aside from revoking the authority of the DPWH, the SP also further resolved that the said projects currently under the responsibility of the agency shall be transferred to the Iloilo City Government.
The city government shall be tasked with overseeing their completion and it shall ensure that these projects are completed within the revised timelines and allocated budgets, with primary focus on efficiency and transparency.
Mayor Treñas is also asking DPWH to explain why the building of its district office has not been completed up to now at the donated land of the city government in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo despite millions of pesos spent by the government for this and other projects.
“The Ombudsman should look into these projects which have become white elephants around the city,” he said./PN
