Contractors waiting for payment of P600M

Contractors trying to collect P600 million from the Capitol for infrastructure projects done by the past administration have to wait some more.

They met yesterday at the Capitol with Gov. Hilario Davide III who said the possibility of their billings to be paid will depend on the action of the Provincial Board.

A review of all projects undertaken by 32 contractors since 2006 showed they lack the approval of the PB, Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora said.

The governor said these need to be presented to the PB for ratification.

“One of the solutions to that is to apply for ratification from the PB. As to whether they will grant approval of the contracts, it will depend on them,” Davide told reporters yesterday.

Davide, who entered his 100th day in office yesterday, said he still refuses to pay for projects that lack PB approval or necessary vouchers and documents needed for its liquidation. otherwise he would get in trouble with the Commission on Audit (COA).

“That’s also one aspect, we don’t want to be reprimanded by COA because they are very strict with it,” he said.

Davide and Jamora met with the representatives of the construction firms.

“It was good that they were there. I told them that they should also help us because we have a big debt,” the governor said.

Most of the payables were incurred from road and bridge construction projects.

This includes the construction of the two municipal airports in Camotes and Bantayan islands and the new office of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas in barangay Sudlon, Lahug.

Operations for both projects are stalled.

Jamora said WTG and Duros, have the biggest contracts for projects worth P100 million each.

Davide said he assured the contractors of payment for their projects as long as it gets the ratification of the PB.

Completed projects will get first priority but payments will be on a staggered basis.

“They agreed to the arrangement but we also had to classify those projects that are completed and ongoing so that we can see our total balance,” the governor said.

”That’s why I asked the Provincial Engineering Office to meet with the contractors so that we can see what’s done and what’s ongoing, what we need to pay first and the ones we can pay in a staggered basis.,” Davide added.

In her turnover speech last June, Garcia declared the province was “debt-free” with over P3 billion in assets.

However, many financial obligations were uncovered by the PB after the elections including contractors for road projects (P480 million), buildings (P92.4 million), waterworks (P12.4 million), and several hotels, restaurants and travel agencies. Correspondent Peter L. Romanillos