Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Jonas pours in more funds for AIP, hopes to complete 37 projects by yearend
MANDAUE City has already been implementing infrastructure projects “by administration,” as part of its P59.4 million annual investment plan (AIP).
Mayor Jonas Cortes said 27 of the 37 ongoing projects of the City are being implemented by the City Engineering Office.
Cortes said they found the implementation of projects faster through administration than awarding these to private contractors.
City Engineer Antonio Sanchez is hopeful to that all projects will be completed this year as some of them are already finished.
Cortes, in yesterday’s 888 News Forum at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino showed reporters the status of 37 projects under the AIP, most of which are on-going while others are already completed.
Five of these are funded by continuing appropriations in the 2008 AIP.
Sanchez said 27 are being implemented by the City Engineering Office and 10 were bidded out to private contractors. The projects are worth P28.7 million.
Administration
The mayor said that implementing projects “by administration” eliminates delays and the contractor’s supposed profit is thrown back to the project in the form of additional materials.
He said this eliminates undervaluing of materials used in the project as they are assured that materials used are of standard quality.
Cortes, son of then mayor Demetrio Cortes Sr., said his father’s 20-year-old roads are still there without damage.
When asked why the 10 projects were awarded to the private contractor, Sanchez, who was hired last April, said these projects have already been bidded out and awarded before he came.
Sanchez said that when implementing projects “by administration” the executive department need not seek council authority to enter into a contract and approval on the awarding of the contract.
Circumferential
He said they only have to prepare the program of works and estimates (Powe); get the mayor’s approval of the Powe; prepare the purchase request for materials and its approval; the procurement and delivery; and start with the project.
Almost done are the asphalting of circumferential roads in Barangay Labogon; the asphalting of roads going to Tabok National High School and the construction of a barangay hall. (OCP)
