2 contractors fined P25,000 for delays in Edsa rehab

MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino

Two contractors of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be slapped with fines for failing to meet the deadline set by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on road repairs on Edsa during Holy Week.

MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino identified the two as AKH Contractor and Jargon Builders.

Tolentino said the two contractors would each be penalized P25,000 for not complying with the road rehabilitation schedule agreed upon by his agency and DPWH.

“I have written the two contractors a letter asking them to explain why they were not able to complete the project on time,” he added.

He also asked the district engineer of the DPWH to explain the delay in the concrete reblocking project.

Tolentino, however, was quick to pin the blame on the “inefficiency” of the contractor and the DPWH district engineer, particularly in the affected area near Dasmariñas Village in Makati City.

This was contrary to the opinion of Reynaldo Tagudando, director of the DPWH in Metro Manila, who blamed the MMDA for the delay, saying had the agency not pushed back the start of the road repair work by 16 hours, their contractors would have finished on time.

Although the DPWH and MMDA both agreed to finish the concrete reblocking of Edsa during Holy Week, they failed to meet their target. There are still 2,000 square meters of road space in Mandaluyong and Quezon City which need to be rehabilitated.

All construction work on the busiest thoroughfare in Metro Manila, however, will be suspended in the coming weeks due to the state visit of US President Barack Obama on April 28 and the Iglesia Ni Cristo evangelical mission in Pasay City to be held this Saturday.