CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu provincial government is planning to re-bid all abandoned hospital projects. Governor Hilario Davide III said he wants these projects to be done.
“We are studying the possibility nga ang mga abandoned project para ma-re-bid nato... to continue the construction,” he said.
Davide said a lot of work needs to be done in these hospitals after they were abandoned by the contractors because his administration refused to pay them.
The governor explained that all payments for the projects were stopped because the contracts did not have the approval of the Provincial Board.
“Naay uban wap-a nahuman kay lain-laing aspects sa construction gi-sub contract. But we intend to finish these hospitals kay usik kaayo. Daghan maka-benefit nga mga kaigsuonan,” Davide said.
The governor said he already consulted provincial legal officer Orvi Ortega about it.
Davide said the provincial lawyers are now “studying” how the Capitol could possibly reopen the projects without getting entangled with legal issues, especially that there is no formal document from the contractors showing that they have permanently abandoned the projects.
“(We will) possibly formally communicate with contractors. I will also need the support here of the Provincial Board,” he said.
The construction of Danao Provincial Hospital was stopped after Davide refused to settle the balance with the project contractor, Supreme ABF Construction.
The project was started under the term of former governor Gwen Garcia, who Davide said had signed the contract with Supreme ABF for this hospital without PB approval.
The same situation also happened in Balamban where WTG Construction and Development had shutdown the Balamban Provincial Hospital for the same reason. — /FPL) (FREEMAN)