Work resumes on P300-M Ecija drainage project

CABANATUAN CITY - Work on the city government’s P300-million, World Bank-funded sewerage, sanitation and drainage project, which authorities earlier stopped after the Italian contractor was found to have allegedly used substandard materials, was finally resumed.

This, after Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara revoked the suspension order which he himself had issued, on condition that the project’s contractor and consultant would comply with contract specifications.

He said work on the seven outfalls has restarted.

Vergara said a World Bank inspector, whom he identified as engineer Luis Tabares, confirmed his findings that the contractor allegedly used substandard materials in the culverts.

"I felt relieved that engineer Tabares, who is an expert inspector, has affirmed, validated and justified my having ordered the suspension of construction work on the project due to the use of substandard materials," he said.

Tabares has issued a stern warning to the contractor and consultant to immediately submit pertinent technical documents on the progress of the project.

Vergara said he has given the contractor until December next year to finish the project. "Whether they like it or not, the drainage project should be in place by then," he said.

The mayor suspended the construction work last Nov. 8 after personally inspecting the project. He reprimanded officials of C. Lotti & Associati, the Italian consultant, and JPL Construction, the general contractor, for the "sloppy work" on the project site and for allegedly using materials which were found to be defective.

The city government launched the project last March to address the perennial flooding in the city’s central business district covering 291 hectares of land in 18 barangays.

Under the project, seven outfalls will be constructed in Gabaldon, Mabini, Nabao, Ortiz, Parumog, Sanciangco and Zulueta.

The project is funded by a soft loan with a fixed interest rate of 13 percent payable in 15 years. The contract states that the project should be completed 14 months after construction has started.