THE barangay captain of Tisa in Cebu City urged the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) to expedite the completion of the 200-meter road drainage project in the interior portion of the village, saying it has been causing convenience among the public.
The construction of the project was started in February 2023, and it has remained unfinished as of May 10, 2024.
In an interview on Beyond the Headlines on Thursday, May 9, Tisa Barangay Chairman Bernardo "Ada" Lapiña Jr. told SunStar Cebu that the project contractor encountered an unexpected setback, resulting in the delay of the City Government project located near Sta. Teresita Village.
Lapiña said that in February 2023, when he was still a barangay councilor, the project completion rate was only at 30 percent.
A concerned citizen told SunStar that aside from being unfinished for almost a year now, the road where the project is located has remained impassable due to the presence of water.
Lapiña said among the issues that caused the project delay was the lack of manpower. He said he knew about this because he interviewed one of the workers.
He said he then summoned the project's contractor to attend a barangay session, including a representative from DEPW.
The barangay officials were then told by the contractor that the soil in the area is soft that a portion of an establishment located on the side of the road even collapsed during their excavation attempts.
To avoid damaging the establishment and houses nearby, the contractor has installed reinforcement measures that will support the excavated road, causing the delay.
Lapiña said the soil is soft because the area where the project is being built was a river or waterway before it was transformed into a road.
"Agianan gyud na sa tubig sa una kay kanang right side diha nga naay hagbunganan kay anha man mi mangambak gagmay pa mi, magligo-ligo mi," Lapiña said.
He said the project was supposed to be done before the 2023 filing of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in October 30, 2023, stressing that the contractor was given an ultimatum by City Councilor Philip Zafra.
Lapiña said the contractor promised again to finish the project by October this year.
"Kung maabot na gani ang sa July or sa June di kaha, moingon na sad sila nga di ta kahuman ani konsehal, kap kay naabtan ta ug dili ka trabaho kay uwan," Lapiña said. (EHP)