BACOLOD City Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. Friday explained the reason for his objection to the approval of contracts of the various priority projects of the City Government of Bacolod that formed part of the P1.7-billion loan of the city with the Development Bank of the Philippines.
He said that during the regular session on March 14, at exactly 5:07 p.m., there were two remaining items in the agenda that were to be taken up. But then a surprise addendum sprung up.
The last item included the contracts between the City of Bacolod and ESJ and Sons for the construction of the Bacolod City College (BCC) site development in the amount of P349,988,679.47; between the City and Supreme ABF Construction and Construction Supply for the widening of Gonzaga Extension St.in the amount of P44,949,942.95; and between the City and Wilkinson Construction for the Mansilingan-Felisa Roadin the amount of P61,301,441.90.
He said these contracts are part of the P1.7-billion loan of the city.
City Mayor Evelio Leonardia had asked for the authority of the city council to sign the said contracts. The authority was granted with 10 councilors voting for it. Gamboa objected.
“All these contracts were pro-forma as likewise observed by Councilor Palermo, with only the amount and parties stated in the contracts. There were no attachments as to the parameters or scope of work for these three infrastructure projects,” said Gamboa. “They were just mere pieces of papers with nothing in it.”
“The contract’s parameters and standards for construction were not attached, and yet approved nonetheless by the majority,” Gamboa said.
“Aside from this, the contracts were imposed upon me for approval despite a request for time for me to study,” said Gamboa, who explained that the contracts were introduced as surprised addendum in the session.
The contracts are now up for ratification.
Gamboa hoped that the council members would have already learned by now that important contracts should be studied and every councilor should be given enough time to peruse documents.
“I am saddened by the action of the city council. Therefore, I posed my objection,” he added.