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Saturday, September 18, 2004
BAC law hampers 'pakyaw' project implementation
ATOK, Benguet -- The new bids and awards law hampers implementation of infrastructure-related project in low class municipalities.
Atok Municipal Planning Officer Paterno Esdio said that because of the stringent requirements particularly on license provision of Republic Act 9184 where all projects to be awarded should be given only to licensed contractor, implementation of "pakyaw" projects suffered due delays.
Esdio said most of project undertakings in this town involved "pakyaw" projects, or those costing P300,000 and below. Among them include tire paths, riprap projects, and maintenance works which usually cost below P300,000,"thus, even projects costing between P50,000 to P75,000, we were not able to implement since January."
As this developed, Vice Mayor Crispino Lucas scored plan of the national government suspending release of internal revenue allotment.
Lucas chided that the implementation of infrastructure-related projects; delivery of basic services; capital outlay; and maintenance and other operating expenses saying that these would suffer tremendously particularly those source out from the 20 percent development fund. Almost 50 percent of the fund would be allotted to the town's infrastructure project.
Lucas added that while it is ready to implement austerity measure, it would not allow payment of salary and wages for its personnel to suffer.
It was learned that of the P25 million yearly income of the locality, only four percent or P1 million is obtained from local sources such as real property taxes, licenses, permits, and local business taxes, balance of P24 million represents the LGU's IRA.
As this developed, with possible cuts in IRA, the local government is facing another problem in compliance with Republic No. 9003 or the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act of 2003.
The law requires LGUs to establish an ecological solid waste management program by 2007 in addressing the garbage problem in the localities.
Lucas said while there was a task force recently created and organized to study, develop and draft the plan, the problem is funding.
The LGU is considering the establishment of a permanent dumping site in any of the five barangays namely Caliking, Topdac, Abiang, Paoay and Catubo.(Tina Sales)
(September 18, 2004 issue)
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