Funding to flood control projects for 22 barangays
FLOOD control projects will be set aside for 22 Cebu City barangays if the Cebu City Council approves next year’s P560.4 million Annual Investment Plan.
The plan was submitted to the council last July 31. The Commission on Audit (COA) earlier called the city government’s attention on its failure to implement nearly half of the P876 million AIP last year.
The AIP is funded from the city’s Local Development Fund. Auditors said in their 2012 audit report that Cebu City failed to implement P468.5 million worth of projects.
These include P105 million worth of drainage improvement projects under the 2012 LDF.
Engr. Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez, chief of Cebu City Hall’s Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), said the audit report did not give the total picture.
“The COA report is based on the city budget office’s report which in turn is only based on the payments made that the Awards and Bids Committee (ABC) issued before bidding. It does not reflect the implementation stage,” she said.
Article continues after this advertisementEnriquez said there were no delays in the previous year’s project implementation.
Article continues after this advertisementCouncilor Margot Osmeña, the council’s budget committee chairperson, said she already asked for an inventory of last year’s projects.
She said this will determine the fate of the 2014 AIP.
The council scheduled an August 21 briefing with the City Development Council (CDC) secretariat.
The Annual Investment Plan consists of social development projects worth P222.3 million, economic development projects at P212.3 million and environmental projects worth P125.8 million.
Social development projects in the AIP include the proposed rehabilitation of Fort San Pedro worth P10 million and lot acquisition for informal settlers in barangay Bacayan at P21.8 million.
Also being proposed is the construction of a satellite city hall at P16.6 million.
Among the economic development projects proposed are road improvement projects worth P196.1 million.
The list of proposed environmental projects include P89.1 million worth of flood control projects, lot acquisition and the construction of a Materials Recovery Facility in the mountain barangay of Binaliw at P10 million. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
