P573.7-M infra projects awarded in QC

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has awarded the contracts for the construction and improvement of the city government’s P573.776-million infrastructure projects to winning bidders at the QC Hall Bulwagan.

This is the first batch of infrastructure projects contracted out by the city government, under the Belmonte administration, under its 2003 funds this year, the city government awarded a total of P764.09 million in infrastructure projects for its infrastructure program.

Those awarded were the 106 infrastructure projects bidded out by the city government through the city’s pre-qualification, Bid and Award Committee (QC-PBAC) in a public bidding conducted last March 21 and April 3.

During the awarding and contract signing, Belmonte urged the 67 winning contractors "to get to your work immediately so that people can see work is being done for them for the taxes they pay to the city."

"We want our money to be working for us," he said.

Belmonte urged them to give taxpayers their moneys worth by spending every centavo allocated for their respective projects.

"You must also have sense of pride in your work, if you build quality projects then people will appreciate them," he said.

He asked the contractors to help the city government improve its delivery of basic services by doing their jobs well, as he assured them of fair and swift payments upon completion of their tasks.

The 106 infrastructure projects include the improvement and maintenance of the city’s 77 roads, amounting to P357.7756 million; construction of five schoolbuildings, consisting of 86 classrooms, amounting to P132.88 million; improvement of 10 markets, amounting to P17.095 million; improvement of four schoolbuildings, amounting to P6.579 million; construction of SB Plaza in Novaliches, amounting to P17.562 million; construction of legislative building, amounting to P14.944 million; construction of two health centers, amounting to P14.306 million, and improvement of four drainage systems, amounting to P5.015 million.

Belmonte said the public bidding for the next batch of the city’s infrastructure program for this year will be conducted this coming June.

The mayor has prioritized infrastructure projects, including education, to enhance his goal of making Quezon City a quality community.

Among this overriding objectives include the provision of six alternative public routes by opening new inter-neighborhood connecting roads by the end of 2004; maintenance of 1,300 kms. of city roads in good condition; improvement of 50 kms. of existing city roads; the road clearing of creek in Project 4 and Balungbato of encroachment and illegal structures until 2004; and the construction of 520 new classrooms starting this year until 2003.

City Planning Officer Gerardo Magat said the city engineering department is expected to complete the projects from three to eight months period.

"We want to take advantage of the dry season for the construction of roads and the schools vacation," Magat told The STAR.– With Perseus Echeminada