“Laxity” delays projects

CEBU, Philippines — The lack of adequate planning by the previous Capitol administration has resulted in the delay of over P422 million worth of infrastructure projects last year.

The Commission on Audit, in its Annual Audit Report for 2018 of the provincial government’s transactions, said that infrastructure projects implemented under the 20-percent development fund have been delayed because of “inadequate planning.”

These projects include construction and repairs of “provincial and component roads and bridges” and “construction and rehabilitation of waterworks system.”

"The lack of sufficient details in the foregoing plans is a manifestation of management’s laxity in enforcing the early conduct of detailed engineering activities enumerated under Annex A of the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184," the report reads.

The detailed project description is required under the Budget Operations Manual for Annual Investment Programs. But instead of providing detailed project description, the previous administration of then Governor Hilario Davide III only presented lump sum amounts for projects in the 2019 AIP.

State auditors said that even details on the project names and their specific respective costs were lacking. These lump sums and ambiguous descriptions were also consistent in the Approved Budget Procurement Management Plan and the Capitol’s AIP.

Due to the lack of specifications of the projects and their respective allocated funds, a resolution is required from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for their utilization, which adds more time in the projects' implementation process.

"Had the projects been specifically identified and authorized in the approved budget, procurement of the contract to implement the projects could proceed without need for further authorization," COA states.

Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora explained that the delay in the procurement process is often caused by the simultaneous submission of pre-identified infrastructure projects.

However, state auditors said "it is apparent that the conduct of detailed engineering activities was incomplete, otherwise specific details of the projects should have been incorporated therein and the subsequent re-alignment of lump sum amounts would have been unnecessary."

COA has recommended that a detailed breakdown of infrastructure projects be included in the

next plans and annual budget of the provincial government. (FREEMAN)