Over P100M unfinished infra projects in Lapu-Lapu City

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Audit has directed the Lapu-Lapu City government to finish over P100 million worth of infrastructure projects that were left unfinished since 2014.

The unfinished projects include seven school buildings worth P90 million and 10 other projects worth P44 million.

COA has found out that the seven infrastructure projects implemented under the Special Education Fund were not completed on time due to deficiencies resulting in delayed availability of the facilities to the constituents.

 The Local School Board in 2013 and 2014 had appropriated funds for additional school buildings and classrooms reportedly to decongest crowded classrooms due to growing populations and in preparation for the implementation of the K to 12 program.

Based on the construction contracts, all the projects implemented were expected to be completed in 2015. However, the engineering report on the status of the projects as of year-end shows that not one of the seven projects was completed.

 These include the four-storey, 16-classroom school building each for Babag and Mactan National High School; three-storey, 12 classroom school building each for Marigondon and Bankal Elementary School, and Pajo National High School, and four classrooms on top of the three-storey, 12-classroom school building at Marigondon Elementary School.

 COA said the fact that all the seven projects required variation/additional works and/or corrections indicates that detailed engineering may not have been sufficiently and carefully carried out prior to the preparation of the program of work.

 "Thus, deficiencies were discovered and have to be corrected only during actual implementation, resulting in unnecessary delay in the completion of all the projects and ultimately, delayed availability of the facilities to its constituents," the 2015 audit report reads.

 The 10 other projects funded under 2014 supplemental budget include three-storey building at Sta. Rosa National High School, two-storey building with six classrooms at Lapu-Lapu City Central Elementary School and at Soong Elementary School; two-storey building with four classrooms at Mactan Air Base Elementary School and at Mactan Elementary School; one-storey building with two classrooms at Talima and Sabang Elementary School, one storey building with three classrooms at Tingo Elementary School, and two-storey building with six classrooms at Sta. Rosa and Nemesio-Epifania NHS.

COA further recommended, which the City Engineering Office agreed, to compute and deduct the appropriate liquidated damages from any unpaid claims or in case full payments have been made and collected from the contractors.  (FREEMAN)