NEDA tags 88 projects in Eastern Visayas as delayed

TACLOBAN CITY, March 22 (PNA) -- The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has raised concern over the delay of 88 projects in Eastern Visayas funded by the national government and foreign institutions in the quarter of 2015.

In the Regional Project Monitoring and Evaluation System (RPMES) report, the NEDA regional office revealed that these 88 projects incurred a double-digit negative slippage.

The top five projects that are way behind its scheduled completion timetable are being implemented by the regional offices of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

These projects consist of roads, bridges and irrigation systems with allocations ranging from PHP20 million to PHP200 million.

The PHP50 million Pinaculan Bridge replacement along junction Taft-Oras-San Policarpo-Arteche Road in Eastern Samar is the most delayed project in the region with a negative slippage of 76 percent. The DPWH tagged contractor’s capacity as the major cause of delay.

Second on the list is the PHP100 million Hibulangan Small River Irrigation Project in Villaba, Leyte with a negative slippage of 67.2 percent. The implementation was delayed since the 2014 component of the project is not yet complete.

Also included is the PHP20 million concreting of Junction Highway-Osmeña-Sampaguita-San Jose-San Francisco farm-to-market road in Northern Samar. The project, with a slippage of 65 percent, was suspended mid of December 2015 due to "unworkable condition caused by typhoon Nona."

Contractor’s capacity also contributed to 60 percent negative slippage of the PHP100 million Higatangan Circumferential Road leading to Higatangan Island in Naval, Biliran.

The fifth on the list is the PHP200 million Sta. Rita Small River Irrigation Project

 in Sta. Rita, Samar. The project incurred a 59.3 slippage due to delay in the implementation of its 2014 component.

Majority of the remaining 88 projects are being implemented by the DPWH regional office and district engineering offices. The most common issues are contractor’s capacity and road right of way acquisition.

“To address the concern on contractor’s capacity and resources, implementing agencies should strictly effect procurement procedures particularly on prequalification of prospective contractors. They should ensure that only those contractors with good track record should be engaged for government projects,” said Bonifacio Uy, NEDA regional director.

DPWH projects with implementation problems have a total cost of PHP2.75 billion, which accounts 57 percent of the PHP4.86 billion worth of “problematic projects”, according to the RPMES 4th quarter 2015 report.

DPWH Eastern Visayas assistant regional director Edgar Tabacon said they have been regularly coordinating with contractors to address issues. Those who failed to solve concerns have been recommended for termination of contract to the DPWH Secretary.

“There are many factors that cause delay. The most common was the erratic climate condition last year. We can’t proceed with civil works if the weather is unfavorable so as not to sacrifice the quality of the project,” Tabacon told PNA.

To address road right of way acquisition concerns, NEDA suggested to government agencies to seek assistance from local government units.

The Regional Project Monitoring Committee, headed by NEDA, has assessed 1,339 projects in Eastern Visayas for the last quarter of 2015 with a total cost of PHP27.88 billion, both funded by the national government and foreign institutions.

These projects are under the watch of DPWH, NIA, Philippine Coconut Authority, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of the Interior and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Of the total number of projects monitored, 664 have been completed, 663 were ongoing, and 12 were suspended. (PNA)
JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO