DOTr raises stink over idled P296-M toilet project

Disgusted that a big portion of the P296 million the government spent to equip transport terminals across the country with toilets may have gone down the drain because of contractor’s negligence, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has decided to take action.

A review of the botched facilities improvement project of the Aquino administration has already resulted in the blacklisting of four project contractors.

Goddes Libiran, DOTr communications director, said the contractors were found accountable for the unfinished toilets, a significant part of the Kayo Ang Boss Ko (KBK) project of then President Benigno Aquino III.

Erring contractors

She identified the erring contractors as iFoundation Builders, Maga Construction and Supplies, VO Chupuico Construction, and Wismon Construction and Development Corp.

Launched in 2012, the KBK project was meant to build and improve about a thousand toilets in airports, sea ports, train stations and bus terminals nationwide.

Flagged by COA

But the Commission on Audit (COA), in its 2017 report,  flagged the expenditure as only half of the project had been completed “due to poor project management, termination and abandonment by contractors.”

State auditors said only 524 toilets had been completed by December 2017.

Meanwhile, 254 projects were found unfinished and 87 others were completely abandoned due to the lack of available space in the transport terminals.

Libiran cited as an example the unfinished facility at the newly opened Philippine National Railways Caloocan-Dela Rosa line, which has three toilets but no partitions.

Evaluation

Although the transportation department under Secretary Arthur Tugade has not determined the extent of contractors’ noncompliance in the KBK project, Libiran said it was already conducting an evaluation of the existing facilities.

“The project was supposed to be completed by the time it was turned over to [the Tugade administration],” Libiran said. “Expediting the project’s completion was not an option for us. We will, however, continue to assess and review the toilets nationwide.”