COA flags Capitol for delay in implementing P422-M worth of infra projects

CEBU CITY, Philippines — State auditors have flagged the “undue delay” of the implementation of P422-million worth of infrastructure projects of the Cebu provincial government.

In the Commission on Audit’s (COA) Annual Audit Report for 2018, the agency identified 36 infrastructure projects of the Capitol that has incurred significant negative slippage as of December 31, 2018.

The projects, which have a total contract price of P422,745, 919.47, were funded from the 20 percent development fund of the Capitol intended for 2018. The projects include construction of Level III waterworks, roads and bridges.

 The COA noted that there were lapses in the projects’ detailed engineering activities, which resulted to problems of road right-of-way, transfer of site, incomplete data in the Annual Investment Program (AIP) form, and suspensions and time extensions. 

“The lack of sufficient details in the foregoing plans is a manifestation of management’s laxity in enforcing the early conduct of detailed engineering activities enumerated under Annex A of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulation of Republic Act No. 9184 (or the Government Procurement Policy Board),” the COA AAR read.

Of the 36 projects scheduled by the Provincial Engineering Office, only seven were completed as of December 31.

Read more: COA tells Cebu province to return P40.7-M unspent PDAF

Those marked complete included the Improvement and Repair of Larsian in Fuente Osmeña Circle, Renovation of the Farmer-Scientist Training Program (FSTP) Research Development Extension Center in Barangay Mompeller in Argao town, southeastern Cebu, and several road improvement and potable water installation projects. 

Meanwhile those marked incomplete included the Cebu Provincial Sports Complex in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City; Cebu Provincial Skills Training Center Building in Naga City; and mostly concreting or asphalting of provincial roads. 

“Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2017 – 1 of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) provides that the Development Fund shall be utilized to finance the local government unit’s priority development projects, as embodied in its duly approved local development plans and Annual Investment Program (AIP),” state auditors said. 

COA recommended that the Capitol should tap all personnel of concerned departments to “ensure the conduct of the necessary detailed engineering activities during the planning and budgeting process.”

They also suggested that the province would include in the plans and annual budget the specific detailed breakdown of infrastructure projects to be funded by the 20 percent Development Fund. 

Both recommendations from COA were aimed to facilitate the early and smooth procurement of the contacts and implementation of the projects, and ultimately to optimize the utilization of the Development Fund./dbs