DEPW: Only half of projects bid out in 2012

ONLY half of the projects funded by the 2012 Local Development Fund have been bid out an official of the Cebu City Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) said.

Engr. Joel Reston of the DEPW said the Approved Budget for Contract (ABC) from the City Treasurers Office have yet to be released for the other half of project.

“But that is already the call of CTO (City Treasurer’s Office),” he said.

The DEPW implemented a total of P635.3 million worth of projects in 2012. These include projects funded from the annual budget and the LDF (Local Development Fund). Of the implemented projects, P245.4 million worth of projects were completed last year while another P389.9 million worth of projects are ongoing implementation.

Reston said that DEPW will also be left to focus on the implementation of projects funded form the 2012 LDF and a few more projects funded from the 2011 Supplemental Budget 5 that have not been implemented to date, especially since the 2013 AIP have not yet been approved. While the City Council has authorized a lump sum appropriation of P222 million or 20 percent of its P1.2 billion Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) as 2013 Local Development Fund (LDF), projects to be funded from this year LDF is yet to be approved by the City Development Council and the City Council. The Cebu City government identified P600 million worth of projects and programs under its 2012 Annual Investment Program (AIP) which include P383.3 million worth of infrastructure projects which include among others road concreting – P114.5 million, drainage improvement – P105 million, bridges – P70 million and vertical structures – P63 million.

“Pero wala ni problema bisan ma abtan pa sa election ban. Basta naa na lay ABC pwede na ni ma-bid out,” said Reston during a media briefing yesterday morning at the mayor’s office conference room.

(Even with the election ban, there is no problem as long as there is an ABC, we can bid the projects out.)

Meanwhile, Reston said that only P72.7 million of the P383.3 million infrastructure projects have been bidded out for implementation. Another P208.6 million worth of projects are already with Program of Works and Estimates (POWE) but are yet to be bid out while P99 million worth of projects are still in the POWE preparation stage.

Reston said that delays in POWE preparation is partly because of the amendment of the 2012 AIP by the City Development Council (CDC) on June 2012. He said that DEPW also had other POWEs to prepare for the implementation of other infrastructure projects funded in the 2012 budget. He said that POWE preparation is a long process because this will include among others the inspection of the area where the proposed project will be built or implemented which has to be made prior to the preparation of the plan. But even if the POWE is already completed, Reston said the project still cannot be bid out unless issued with an ABC.