‘Sore losers’ delaying gov’t projects–Abaya

Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya on Tuesday blamed losing bidders for the delays in government flagship projects like airports and seaports, at the hearing on his department’s budget at the House of Representatives.

Abaya told the lawmakers: “There are many contractors in the DOTC that use MRs (motion for reconsideration) as their next course of action after not winning a bid. It’s like the elections—nobody loses, all were cheated.”

He was reacting to a complaint by Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe, Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento and Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon about the inordinate delays in the awarding of flagship projects by the DOTC.

Batocabe said that DOTC’s project deployment record was abysmal compared to the Department of Public Works and Highways and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) which manage to award their projects ahead of schedule.

‘Extremely’ delayed

Under the Government Procurement Act, state agencies are mandated to implement projects within 144 days from the date of the bid announcement.

Batocabe pointed out that DOTC projects, like the Bicol International Airport and the rehabilitation of the Legazpi Airport and key shipping ports, were extremely delayed.

“The Bicol airport project was begun in 2009, with a promised completion date of 2016. Six years later, the airport isn’t even halfway done. With further delays, it won’t be finished on time,” Batocabe said.

“This is not an isolated case. Be it big or small, DOTC projects were all belatedly awarded in violation of the procurement act,” he added, citing the Pili port development (138 days delayed), the Dimasalang port (175 days delayed), the Prieto Diaz port (70 days delayed) and the Legazpi airport development (92 days delayed).

Ridon said he had received reports the DOTC has been delaying the bidding of at least 10 airport projects nationwide for no apparent reason.

He said this has raised suspicions that projects were being manipulated by “powerful political forces.”

Abaya, however, told the lawmakers the DOTC had no reason to delay projects because their performance bonuses depended on how fast they implemented them.

Abaya said the DOTC’s budget has grown three to four times since 2012 but the number of its personnel, specifically engineers and bidding experts, has remained the same.

He said the DOTC should not be compared to the DPWH which has a “highly distributed procurement system” all the way down to the district level.