Reg’l committee wants delayed projects fast-tracked

TACLOBAN CITY, June 11 -- The Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) has asked concerned government agencies to fast-track the implementation of delayed projects in the region, saying that slow-paced works have a negative impact on the local economy.

In a report released Monday, the Regional Development Council’s project monitoring arm reported that the top 10 monitored projects with highest negative slippage included coconut fertilization, farm-to market road, school buildings, and road widening activities.

RPMC chairperson Bonifacio Uy, regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said they have been linking up with concern agencies through problem solving sessions to address issues that caused project delays.

“Timely construction activities are very important in our regional economy. In 2017, our economic growth slowed down due to lower utilization of budget for construction projects,” Uy said on Monday.

The 2017 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) performance nose-dived by 10.2 percent from 12 percent in 2016 to 1.8 percent. Eastern Visayas' GRDP was way below the 6.7 percent growth rate achieved in the national level.

The RPMC identified the 10 most delayed projects in Eastern Visayas in the first quarter of 2018 as checked by different government agencies and private sector representatives.

The most delayed on the list is the PHP238.33 million coconut fertilization project by the Philippine Coconut Authority. The project posted 85 percent negative slippage as of end of March 2018 due to delays in the procurement of fertilizer meant for 12,414 hectares.

PCA officials were not available for interview when reached for comments.

Next on the list is the PHP20 million farm-to-market road (FMR) concreting linking Burabud and Rizal villages in San Antonio, Northern Samar. Road right-of-way acquisition issues hampered civil works of the project with 85 percent of activities delayed, according to RPMC.

With a completion rate of only 22 percent, the concreting of Cagaut-Cantamoja-Camanga-Carapdapan FMR in Salcedo, Eastern Samar has been tagged as the third most delayed project with a negative slippage of 78 percent.

Ranked fourth to seventh are school buildings projects. These are the PHP51.47 million three-story building at the Ridge View Park Integrated School in this city, the PHP31.1 million four-story school building at the Leyte National High School also in this city, the PHP32 million two-story building at San Isidro National High School in Northern Samar, and the PHP66.9 million three-story building at the Ridge View Park Integrated School in this city.

These projects registered negative slippage of 55 percent to 74 percent. Reasons for the delay included access road concerns, delayed permit issuance, and non-availability of ideal site for high-rise classrooms, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Eighth on the list is the concreting of junction-Manraya FMR in San Antonio, Northern Samar. About 55 percent of the scope of work of the PHP19.80-million project was delayed, according to RPMC.

The last two projects on the list are the PHP20 million improvement of San Jose-Manlurip Park Road and the PHP43 million widening of Leyte-Samar Road (via Guintigui-an), both located in this city.

The two projects posted 49 percent and 44 percent negative slippages, respectively, largely due to the contractor’s incapacity and lack of resources.

DPWH Regional Director Edgar Tabacon said delayed infrastructure projects are anticipated in some areas in Northern Samar province due to frequent rainfall.

The RPMC asked PCA and DPWH to fast-track the completion of these projects in compliance with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive.

Uy said these programs and projects with substantial negative slippage and problems in implementation have been the priority for field monitoring and problem solving sessions.

For 2018, RPMC identified 188 projects prioritized for monitoring, including hospital, terminals, water supply, post-disaster housing, livelihood assistance, agriculture and irrigation development, school buildings, roads and bridges, tourism access roads, airports, and seaports.

These projects have been identified as critical to the attainment of the regional development goals and targets. (SQM/PNA)