Wednesday, April 02, 2008 Trans-axial advisers turn over books, equipment
CONSULTANTS of the highway projects yesterday turned over to Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia the books, reports and equipment, among others, of the proposed construction of the Cebu Trans-Axial Development Project.
But it was still unknown whether Garcia granted the request of the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) to retain the 11 highway consultants during the Cebu Economic Council Enterprise at the governor’s office yesterday, said Jeanette P. Malinao, Capitol consultant on mass and electronic media information dissemination.
Garcia had a closed door meeting with the highway consultants, several provincial board members and Capitol officials.
The governor, who heads the Cebu Economic Council Enterprise, was supposed to decide on the highway project and the fate of the 11 highway consultants.
But Malinao said Garcia opted to defer the consultants’ presentation of the project, saying that the governor wanted the council to study and evaluate first the report on the highway project.
Presentation
The Provincial Government spent over P12-million for highway and water works of the proposed construction of the trans-axial highway.
Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. asked members of the PB during a presentation last Monday to help him pursue what he described as an “ambitious but viable” highway project.
Sanchez also asked the PB to pass a resolution requesting the governor to retain the services of 11 highway consultants whose services were terminated last March 31.
In 2005, the Province allotted about P15 million; P10 million for the trans-axial highway and P5-million for water works. Sanchez said they have a balance of about P2, 766,539.22.
Malinao said the council recommended that the equipment used in the conceptualization of the highway project instead be utilized for revenue generation.
The Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) and Provincial Engineer’s Office (PEO) assured the council that they will participate in the proper study and evaluation of the submitted documents.
Although their retention still hangs, Malinao said that the highway consultants are eager to appear before the council to answer queries, if there are any.
The proposed highway project covers the construction of a 300-kilometer, four-lane highway that will traverse Daanbantayan in the north to Santander in the south and will also have water, power and agricultural components.
The acquisition of road right-of-way is projected to cost P440 million, while the construction and widening of the trans-axial highway will require P6.11 billion.
The highway consultants Sanchez want retained include Edgar Sibonga, highway project consultant on infrastructure; Rogelio Vergara, development planning; Leonor Salazar Jr., Eduardo Walag,Rafael Seva Jr., Yuleta Ruiz Orillo, Philip Joy Rizardo, Rolando D’Lonsod Go, Marcos Pesons Jr.,and Elsa Sasan. (GMD)
