COA: P1.9M wasted in Pinamungajan

CEBU, Philippines - Poor planning and prioritization in the prosecution of proposed projects at the Binabag Sanitary Landfill in Pinamungajan town resulted in the non-utilization of the Wastewater/Leachate Treatment Facility costing P1.95M which was installed in 2010, said the Commission on Audit.

Among the projects undertaken by the local government unit of Pinamungajan, under Mayor Geraldine Yapha 2010, was the Installation of Wastewater/Leachate Treatment Facility at the proposed garbage dumpsite in Barangay Binabag.

The project costing P2 million was reported as 100 percent completed on June 16, 2010 and accepted on June 17, 2010.

Upon inspection by the COA technical inspector on August 17, 2010, it was found out that the test run could not be undertaken because of the absence of an electric power connection to the facility.

Thus, the amount paid to the contractor was deducted the P50,000 cost of the test run.

On February 10, 2012, COA conducted another inspection and noted that still there was no provision for power connection to the facility.

“More importantly, it was observed that the proposed garbage dumpsite area was only an open clearing space,” COA said in its 2011 audit report.

It said that perusal of the drawing on the perspective view of the proposed landfill showed that garbage collected are to be contained in concrete disposal cells which are connected with pipes, through which the wastewater/leachate to be treated passes to the wastewater treatment facility.

The proposed disposal cells had not yet been constructed, making the landfill not ready for the reception of garbage, COA said.

The Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator told COA that they are yet to undertake the project for the construction of the disposal cells.

“It should be noted that more than a year had already elapsed since completion but the water treatment facility had not been and could not be utilized for the foregoing reasons, thereby defeating the purpose for which it was intended,” the report said.

COA also found out that a total continuing appropriations intended for improvement of the sanitary landfill amounted to P1.9 million as of December 31, 2011.

It said that inquiry from the personnel in charge of the preparation of the Annual Procurement Plan (APP) for CY 2012 revealed that no Project Procurement Management Plan (PPMP) for continuing appropriations has yet been submitted for consolidation, thus no APP was prepared.

The MPDC confirmed that the PPMP for the continuing appropriations under the 20 percent development fund are still to be prepared by the Municipal Engineer.

“With the present situation at the proposed dumpsite, it could be gleaned that until such time when the dumpsite will be made fully operational, the water treatment facility could be expected to remain idle and unutilized and subjected to the elements that may result to its deterioration,” COA said.

COA recommended that the LGU should give priority to the construction and development of the other required structures in the sanitary landfill to make it operational in order for the water treatment facility to be utilized, thus avoid wastage of government resources.

“Henceforth, extra care and diligence in planning and prioritization of projects for implementation should be exercised in such a way that prosecution should be based on considerations of usefulness and urgency of the necessity for the project,” it added.  (FREEMAN)