Monday, April 07, 2008 Consultants' services no longer needed: Guv
CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has refused to retain the services of the 11 consultants of the proposed construction of the Cebu Trans-Axial Development Project.
Lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda, Capitol consultant on information and revenue generation, said the services of the consultants, which were terminated last March 31, are no longer required since the feasibility study of the highway project was done already.
This is part of the Capitol’s thrust to minimize unnecessary expenses, said Sepulveda.
Sepulveda said the highway advisers are willing to answer queries from the economic enterprise council, the body that is evaluating the project.
Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. asked the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) last Monday to pass a resolution requesting Garcia to retain the services of 11 highway consultants.
Sanchez also asked the PB to help him pursue what he described as an “ambitious but viable” highway project. He said the project will give Cebuanos a “better life.”
Consultants of the highway projects recently turned over to Gov. Garcia the books, reports and equipment, among others, of the proposed construction of highway project.
Evaluate report
But during a closed door meeting of the Cebu Economic Council Enterprise last Tuesday, Garcia deferred the consultants’ presentation of the project, saying she wanted the council to study and evaluate the report first.
But although the governor did not categorically comment on the PB’s request, the highway consultants are eager to appear before the council to answer queries.
The Province has spent more than P12 million for highway and water works of the proposed construction of the Cebu Trans-Axial Development Project.
In 2005, the Province allotted P15 million — P10 million for the trans-axial highway and P5-million for water works. Sanchez said they have a P2,766,539.22 balance.
The project covers the construction of a 300-kilometer four-lane highway that will link Daanbantayan in the north and Santander in the south. It 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 cost P6.11 billion.
The highway consultants whose services Sanchez wants retained are Edgar Sibonga (infrastructure), Rogelio Vergara (development planning), Leonor Salazar Jr. (highway), Eduardo Walag (water works), Rafael Seva Jr. (wind farm), Yuleta Ruiz Orillo (economic), Philip Joy Rizardo (agro-environmental), Rolando D’Lonsod Go (agro-environmental), Marcos Pesons Jr. (architectural), and Elsa Sasan (monitoring head). (GMD)
