Tuesday, October 08, 2002
DPWH to proceed with bidding despite payables to contractors
By Avelyn Z. Agudon
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will continue to conduct the bidding for various infrastructure projects in Western Visayas despite the agency's failure to settle its huge payable to contractors and suppliers.
Wilfredo Augusto, DPWH regional director, told Sun.Star Bacolod that different engineering districts in the region will proceed to implement new projects even if their payables already reached P583 million as of September 30.
Augusto made the assurance in the wake of the statement of lawyer Lorenzon Sulaeg, chief of staff of Public Works Sec. Simeon Datumanong, the department is set to freeze the bidding of various infrastructure projects while it is settling its huge payable to contractors nationwide.
DPWH had earlier said its mounting accounts is a result of funding problems brought about by National Government's budget deficit.
In Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, the department's payable to contractors reached P33.3 million.
But Bernabe Gilbor, president of the Contractors Association of Negros Occidental, said the department's obligation to local contractors is actually more than P100 million.
DPWH's payable to contractors of the 1st Engineering District is P12.7 million; Bacolod City Lone District, P10 million; 2nd Engineering District, P5.8 million; and 3rd Engineering District, P4.7 million.
The non-payment prompted local contractors to suspend the construction of major projects, including the 10-kilometer highway from Bago City's Barangay Calumangan to the city proper and the half-kilometer highway in front of Bacolod Airport and many others in southern Negros. |
