Duterte, Sec Villar urged: Probe P100-M Sabangan bridge project

Two biddings held but project unfinished 

By Gina Dizon

SABANGAN, Mountain Province -- A P100 million government bridge project here bid out in two separate occasions faces questions on materials used, delay  and implementation.  
    Anti-corruption advocate Juniper Dominguez recently wrote a petition letter to President Rodrigo Duterte, Public Works and Highways Sec. Mark Villar and Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) urging them to probe alleged irregularities implementation of the project like substandard materials used in the first P50.7 million such as sizes of gabions and H-beams installed and bidding of another P50 million when the first P50.7 million has not yet been completed.
    As of now, the temporary bridge located here at Barangay Busa along the Baguio-Bontoc national road opened in November 2019 remains  temporary due to unrestored road cut brought  about by Typhoon Ompong in 2018.
    The temporary bridge installed by the Mountain Province District Engineering Office is open for  light vehicles only to pass one at a time with a capacity of  two tons.
    Heavy duty vehicles like buses and container vans ply the alternative  route along the  Sabangan- Mabaay Bauko road.
    A budget of P50.7 million for the restoration and rehabilitation of the road cut was initially bid out by the Dept. of Public Works and Highways regional office  in October  2019 with winning bidder- contractor Gonzalo Construction/Vancity Construction with completion date July 2020.  .
    Project implementation is ongoing.
    Recently, another P50 million was bid out by the MPDEO with winning bidding contractors-FJ Miranda  Construction and Rodecom General Construction in joint venture.  
     First District MPDEO District Engineer Januario Garde said  the P50 million project covers slope protection on both sides of the road cut with 70 percent of the budget allotted  for this.
    The remaining 30 percent of  the  P50 million shall be implemented  between the two adjoining road sides once the initial  P50.7 million project shall be completed, he said.
     Garde said the recently awarded P50 million project covers slope protection on both sides of the road cut different  from the initial P50.7 million which covers restoration and rehabilitation of the road cut.
     Garde also said it may take some time for the first P50.7 million project to be completed considering the complexity of the works being done.