City Engineer recommends in-house implementation of small projects with no takers

City Engineer Edgar Victorio Olpindo has recommended prosecuting small infrastructure projects by administration to remedy bidding problems resulting in non-implementation of said projects.    

During the Management Committee (MANCOM) meeting June 6, Mayor Benjamin Magalong agreed that the suggestion can be the best option considering that concerned departments have a good track record in implementing projects.

The mayor directed Olpindo to submit the recommendation to the city council for deliberation and adoption of revised policies on implementing infrastructure projects.

He said this has to be addressed as soon as possible to ensure the city’s compliance in the utilization of the earmarked development funds and be at par with the standards set in the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) of the national government.

Olpindo said the other option for projects that cannot be covered by in-house implementation is for the earmarked funds to be returned to the general fund for reappropriation to other priority projects.

He said a total of 66 projects programmed under the Local Development Fund from 2019 to 2021 have not been implemented after bidding procedures failed numerous times.

“Bidding failed because of lack of takers despite multiple attempts of even up to nine times,” he said.

Majority of the projects have a cost range of P100,000-P500,000 with piecemeal coverage like retaining walls, alleys, canals, stepwalks and the like.

Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and some city council members in a previous meeting agreed to review the procedures and adopt new recommendations to iron out the problem.

Olpindo said they are in the process of identifying projects that can be implemented by administration and those not tenable will be subjected to reprogramming. – Aileen P. Refuerzo