Other barangay projects also found defective, but...

CEBU, Philippines - Some barangay projects that were found to have defects by an inspection team from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) last year remain unfixed.

These are the mostly road concreting projects that were discovered along with those that were undertaken by the E.M. Arante Construction whose owner Enrique Arante was linked to an alleged irregularity in the implementation of projects in the barangays.

While Arante has almost finished correcting all the projects discovered to have minor defects, the other contractor has not started yet or has not even signified willingness to apply corrective measures.

The Department of Engineering and Public Works confirmed that the projects in barangay Toong and Pamutan, which were built by Jegma Construction and Development Corporation, were not given attention. When the issue on substandard projects surfaced, all attention was focused to E.M. Arante Construction.

The road concreting projects in barangay Toong, all three segments, were found with transverse cracks and deficiency in the shouldering materials which did not conform to the specifications.

A DEPW engineer said that transverse cracks normally occur in some road concreting projects because it is a product of a chemical reaction in the concrete materials, but, if not repaired might cause the water to seep in to the bottom and damage the base causing greater damage on the surface.

The road concreting projects in sitios Buntod, Cabatbatan and Baksan Road in barangay Pamutan were found to have the same problems, but the DEPW said these have not been corrected.

Toong barangay Captain Teotimo Bacalso said that Jegma Construction has not come to their barangay to do any repair, but they have already paid the firm in full even before the report by DPWH was out last year.

Each segment of road a concreting project costs the barangay almost P3 million.

The funds used for the project came from the aid to the city barangays provided by the Cebu City Government.

Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, chairman of the committee on infrastructure said that he will check with the engineering department why Jegma Construction was not compelled to correct the defects however minor the defects are.

“We should be fair to all. If we compelled Arante to correct his projects, the other contractor must also have its turn,” Cabarrubias said.

He said that the projects are still within the warranty period so Jegma Construction ought to repair the cracks discovered in the road projects.

City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said that he will also verify with the engineering department why the other projects were not given attention.

“Ako ipa-check, but basically, the rule applies to all,” Poblete said.

DEPW said that Arante Construction has almost finished correcting all the defects for its projects including those that have been fully paid by the barangays.

In some of Arante’s completed projects, the engineering department has conducted an inspection and necessary tests and issued certification to those that had been 100 percent accomplished.

The DEPW’s certification is required for the barangay to proceed with the payment.

But Mayor Michael Rama said that he objects with the idea of paying Arante until the investigation, which currently being conducted by the four-man fact-finding committee Rama created, is over.  — (FREEMAN)