Canlas
DEPED TO DPWH
Department of Education (DepEd-7) Regional Director Juliet Jeruta urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to consider the capability and capacity of contractors before awarding a school building project.
Jeruta admitted that a significant number of classrooms which were funded by the DepEd since 2016 are still being constructed until this year.
The delays, according to Jeruta, are not caused by lack of funds but of the winning bidder’s capacity to construct multiple projects at the same time.
“There are contractors who win several projects all at the same time but do not have the financial capacity to start and finish the projects simultaneously,” said Jeruta.
Jeruta said the winning contractors tend to start the construction of the projects but eventually set it aside and focus only on one project.
“So what they do is that they start up with the foundation and then stop until they can finish the other one and get the full payment at yun naman ang kanilang gagamitin to continue the other projects,” said Jeruta.
“Kaya nagsasabi kami na sana i-take consideration ng DPWH when they choose the winning bidder kasi kung marami pa syang projects baka hindi nya kayang taposin with his existing capital,“ Jeruta added.
Still a challenge
DPWH-7 Regional Director Ador Canlas admitted that completing projects on time is still a challenge for them considering that only very few contractors join the biddings for DepEd projects.
“This is really a concern. That is why we encourage more contractors to join us in the bidding,” said Canlas.
Canlas said that they are also pressured by time because of the new policy of the national government that budgets will be retracted if projects are not implemented in a year.