Saturday, March 03, 2007 Roxas: Rescinding of P21-B Subic-Clark road contract feared By Fred Roxas Countryside Pulse
THE 21-billion contract awarded to Japanese constructors on the P21-billion Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) may be rescinded if they continue on delaying its construction.
Earlier, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) warned that the Japanese contractors have already incurred a combined negative slippage pf 8.31 percent. A 15 percent delay can be a ground for rescinding the contract, it added.
Reports said some road-right-of way problems recently developed along the expressway project in Dinalupihan, Bataan which delayed its construction.
Nevertheless, BCDA authorities have been coordinating with the landowners in the Dinalupihan area who have been assured they would be paid as soon as necessary documents are completed.
Some BCDA officials said that construction of the expressway was also being hampered by old and inefficient equipment allegedly being used in the project.
Because of this observation, Rene Romero, chair of the Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL) has asked Japanese contractors "to apply their highest standards in the construction project and invest in modern equipment as stipulated with their contract with BCDA."
According to Romero, also president of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ADCL would not allow the construction to be stalled by gross negligence and inefficiency of the contractors.
Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan of Subic Clark Alliance for Development and Luzon Urban Beltway (LUB) chief, said SCTEX should be completed in a pre-determined timetable. He added that the expressway will link Subic Freeport and Clark Airport and provide a seamless corridor envisioned to be a world-class hub for logistics, investments and industry in the Philippines and Asia.
In addition, the expressway is a major infrastructure project of the government and forms a major component of the larger P200 billion LUB program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Clark International Airport Corp. president Victor Jose I. Luciano has welcomed as a major aviation project the launching at Clark zone of the cadet pilot program by Cebu Pacific (CEB), the country's low fare leader and leading domestic air carrier.
The Cadet Pilot Career Program was launched at Clark to train commercial pilots to crew CEB's rapidly increasing fleet of new Airbus aircraft.
Clark Aviation has is currently installation the first A320 flight simulator to train cadet pilots. It will also be available for airlines to carry out their by-annual recurrent training for their existing pilots. The second simulator is scheduled to be installed also at Clark in the last quarter of 2007.
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Pamintuan also reported that LUB which he heads has added 10 priority infrastructure projects bringing to 25 the projects that are expected for completion by 2010. The super-region covers Central Luzon, Metro Manila or National Capital Region, the Cavite-Laguna, Batangas-Rizal-Quzon corridor.
One of the 15 infrastructures on the original list are set to be completed within the year. These include the P29.33 million Terminal Radar Approach Control and P68 million Passenger Terminal expansion at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.
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A total of 1,602 pump priming projects under President Arroyo's Poverty Alleviation Program have been completed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) all over the country as of this month.
The projects which were started early last year included 193 water supply facilities, 743 school buildings, 92 irrigation systems, 129 farm-to-market roads and a number of desilting and flood control projects, according to public works undersecretary Florante Soriquez.
Soriquez inspected last weekend some of the on-going anti-poverty projects in Central Luzon to see to it they are being fast-tracked according to schedules.
DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan at the same time ordered the bidding of other anti-poverty projects especially in the Central Luzon home-region of the President. Soriquez said that additional funds have been appropriated in order to expedite the bidding of other projects before the election ban.
DPWH regional director Alfredo G. Tolentino said other anti-poverty infrastructure projects in Central Luzon were being rushed particularly for the benefit of farmers and fishermen.
Public works district engineer Rico Guilas of Pampanga said farm-to-market roads and irrigation facilities were being rushed in Camba, Arayat with a P1 million appropriation, Sta. Maria Road in Mexico with another P1 million budget and the San Roque - San Nicolas road with P2 million fund.
Another road and irrigation projects worth P15 million are nearing completion in Lubao, hometown of the President.
