DESPITE the disallowance of the P194.8 million mobilization fee for the private contractor of the 20-story Cebu Provincial Resource Center, civil works for the project are ongoing.
In an interview Monday, June 17, 2019, Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora said regardless of whether the contractor receives its mobilization fee or not, construction works for the project will not be affected.
“Kanang mobilization, prerogative lang gyud na niya nga mo-claim siya, mangayo og advance payment. But it doesn’t mean nga kung di siya matagaan, mohunong sya sa project (Claiming the mobilization fee or asking for an advance payment is the prerogative of the contractor. But it doesn’t mean that they will stop the project if they will not be paid in advance),” Jamora told reporters.
Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre did not approve the advance payment for WT Construction Inc. (WTCI) amounting to P194.8 million for the construction of the P1.2-billion resource center.
The amount is 15 percent of the P1.2-billion contract price of the building.
An earlier report revealed that Salubre wrote on top of his name, “DISAPPROVED. NO PAYMENT SHALL BE MADE,” on an obtained copy of disbursement voucher 321970.
As of Monday morning, Salubre was still unavailable for comment. Salubre is the concurrent municipal treasurer in Borbon town.
Before that, Provincial Accountant Marieto Ypil was also constrained to endorse any payment after receiving the letter from governor-elect and outgoing Third District Rep. Gwen Garcia’s transition team, warning all department heads “not to process any and all billing related to the project.”
Ypil returned the disbursement voucher to Jamora who had recommended the release of the advance payment.
In separate letters sent to vice governor-elect and outgoing Gov. Hilario Davide III and WTCI last June 3, Garcia’s camp formally expressed the governor-elect’s contention to not include the project in her program of government when she assumes office at noon of June 30.
In the same letter, all concerned Capitol department heads were also warned not to process billings related to the project.
The contractor is currently doing excavation works and sheet piling on the sides of the project site.
“(In) so far as implementation is concerned, ang contractor gyud ana wala may effect siguro (the disallowance has not affected the contractor). As of now, ongoing ang contractor, wala moundang (civil works are ongoing and the contractor has not stopped),” Jamora said.
Jamora, though, admitted that he also received a copy of the letter from Garcia’s camp.
“Sa amoa diri, padayon gyud kay under contract man na niya. Siya man gyuy contracting party (For our part, the project will continue because it is already under contract. WTCI is the contracting party),” he said. (RTF)