Sunday, July 29, 2007 Improve performance: DPWH exec to subordinates
REGIONAL Director Jerome dela Rosa yesterday appealed to his men to help improve the performance rating of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 by doing their assigned tasks seriously.
Dela Rosa told Sun.Star Cebu that while there are several approved projects that are not yet implemented, 34 personnel in the Planning and Design Division (PDD) are not performing their duties and responsibilities well.
“We have to work and work. Doing nothing is a waste of public funds,” dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa noticed that since he started his crusade to improve performance, some DPWH 7 officials and personnel have resorted to character assassination by sending poison letters to Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane and some politicians.
“I hope that the politicians who are fed with lies against me will give me a chance to explain to them that DPWH 7 needs total reforms to fasttrack the implementing of projects,” dela Rosa said.
Jurisdiction
He cited the delay in the implementation of the Gen. Maxilom Tunnel in Cebu City despite the fact that the money (P25 million) was already available as early as March 2006.
When he inquired with the Cebu City Engineering District who has jurisdictional control of the project, he was informed that the plan was already submitted to the PDD as early as July 2006.
Dela Rosa said that to solve the issue and to avoid the reversion of funds to the National Treasury by December, he delegated the implementation of the project to the Cebu City Engineering District, including the revision of plans, program of work and bidding.
“As per my observation, most of the members of the planning division are not capable or are very lax in the performance of their duties,” read dela Rosa’s report to Ebdane.
Inspection
Dela Rosa also noted the failure of the PDD to conduct field validation and verification of the plan to make the proposed project suitable to the needs of the area.
He said that during his inspection in Oriental Negros, he observed that the prepared plans for the “Concreting of Dumaguete South Road, Dumaguete City” were defective and needs revisions.
The project is supposed to be within Dumaguete City but the plan was revised and was changed to Sta. Catalina town, 86 kilometers away.
The revision was crucial as this would replace a good asphalt pavement constructed through the Asian Development Bank Package 6 that was turned over to DPWH 7 in June 2004. (EOB)
