TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 21 – At least 51 out of 65 projects intended for 2019 in this province have been readied for bidding by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) field office here.
DPWH Southern Leyte chief Ma. Margarita Junia, in a phone interview Tuesday, said they are optimistic about completing the pre-construction process for all projects before the end of December to pave the way for the early start of civil works next year.
"With the implementation of cash-based budgeting next year and in support to the administration’s Build, Build, Build program, we have to make sure that projects are up and running early of 2019,” Junia said.
The DPWH’s 2019 national expenditure program has allocated PHP1.585 billion for the lone district of Southern Leyte province. Of the total, PHP1.3 billion will be implemented by the district office. The four projects with a combined cost of PHP445 million will be supervised by the regional office since the project’s budget is beyond its authority to implement.
The total outlay for Southern Leyte is lower than the PHP2.2 billion set aside by the central government for 2018 due to the shift to cash-based budgeting.
A cash-based budgeting system limits contractual obligations and disbursing of payments to goods delivered and services rendered within the year.
This means that implementing agencies need to complete their contracts by the end of 2019 as carry over projects are not anymore allowed under the new system.
Among the projects bid out by DPWH-Southern Leyte as early as October are the PHP50 million Liloan-San Ricardo Circumferential Road, PHP69-million widening of Bogasong Bridge in Libagon town, and PHP37.1-million widening of Maac Bridge in Sogod town.
Also bid out are projects meant to enhance access to tourism sites, such as the PHP12.86-million Maray-ang-Malico access road leading to Taglinao Falls in San Francisco town; PHP22.6-million road leading to Anas View Deck in Padre Burgos; PHP10 million road to bird sanctuary and mangrove area in Saint Bernard; PHP24-million road to Crater Lake in San Juan; PHP10-million road to Guinsaugon Lake in Saint Bernard; and PHP11.74 million road to Ollies Wall Dive Site in Liloan town.
Under the DPWH-Department of Trade and Industry convergence, two projects have been bid out as well. These are the PHP21-million road connecting the villages of Macrohon and Malitbog towns, and PHP21-million road upgrading in four villages in Hinunangan town.
These roads lead to SC Global Coco Products, Inc. Sogod Bay Coco Active Carbon, and Kennemer Foods International. Prioritized are roads leading to areas with processing activities or major sources of raw materials.
“We managed to bid out some of these projects starting October 23 since we have started the preparation of pre-detailed engineering activities (PDE) as early as July. In the previous years, we started the conduct of PDE every October,” Junia added.
The PDE activities include survey, preparation of design plan, preparation of technical specifications, coming up with construction schedule and road right of way acquisition plans, among others.
The DPWH-Southern Leyte office is tasked to maintain 299 kilometers of national roads and 155 bridges, built in 18 towns and one city. (SQM/PNA)
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