COA to Toledo: Start 11 projects

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Audit has asked the Toledo City Government to implement the remaining 11 projects amounting to P35.2 million funded by the 2013 Local Development Fund.

In its 2013 audit report, COA disclosed that of 22 prio-rity projects, 11 were unimplemented.  These include the acquisition of land/right of way (P17.3 million), opening and widening of roads (P8 million), coastal resource management (P500,000), solid waste management and disposal system (P5 million), road concreting at Sitio Aroma, Barangay Dumlog (P1.1 million), construction of covered court in Barangay Cantabaco (P1 million).

Extension/improvement of Day Care Center in Barangay Carmen (P338,493), phase II of the construction of a Barangay Tubod covered court (P780,000), construction of a stage in Bato National High School (P250,000), one-stop shop at Toledo Commercial Arcade (P537,187), and the structural and geotechnical engineering services, safety evaluation of the Toledo City Hotel (P350,000).

COA likewise noted that the list of completed and on-going government projects for calendar year 2013 submitted by the City Engineering Office did not include the said unimplemented development projects.

“The non-implementation of various development projects during the year hampered the delivery of  basic services, added extra workload of the implementing offices in the succeeding year and adversely affected the efficiency of the city government in the attainment of its plans and targets,” read the audit report.

COA recommended that the city administration direct heads of the different implementing offices to fully implement projects to promptly provide the constituents of the benefits due them.

In response to the COA report, Mayor John Henry “Sonny” Osmeña instructed the city engineer to look into the unimplemented projects.

Meanwhile, COA also recommended that the city enforce strict compliance of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2011-1 of the Department of Interior and Local Government Unit and the Department of Budget and Management dated  April 13, 2011 which provides the guidelines on the appropriation and utilization of the 20-percent of the Internal Revenue Allotment for development projects.

In compliance with the said regulations, the City of Toledo appropriated the amount of P70.12 million in 2013 for  development projects.  (FREEMAN)