Lack of materials, workers, Covid rules hamper Cordillera DA projs

WORK to finish the Junction-Alimit-Nattum farm-to-market road in Mayoyao, Ifugao was allowed in compliance to quarantine advisories and safety measures. However the project was suspended due to  material shortage and lack of workers.

By Elvie Taquio

MAYOYAO, Ifugao – Infrastructure subprojects funded under the Dept. of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) in the Cordillera resumed operation adhering to quarantine advisories and health and safety measures but some projects were suspended due to lack of materials and workers.

The government recently allowed all public and private construction projects to resume in areas under quarantine as long as construction safety guidelines prescribed for the implementation of infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 health crisis will be complied.

Engineer Edwin Camhit, Rural Infrastructure Engineer (RIE) assigned in the province of Ifugao said availability of construction materials including cement and sand was a major challenge to resumption of operations.

Workers, he added, had difficulty hauling aggregates due to conflicting schedule.

“Some of the laborers and operators are migrant workers and they cannot report back due to quarantine advisories issued by the local government,” he added.

The following are the subprojects and their respective physical accomplishment, where construction has resumed in a short period but are now partially suspended due to the aforesaid challenges: Improvement of Viewpoint-San Fernando FMR (21.66% as of March 15, 2020), construction of Anaba-Ducligan-Banao FMR (17.77% as of April 15), and Junction-Alimit-Nattum FMR Improvement (27.36% as of March 15).

The first segment of the improvement of Besao-Nacawang and Tadian-Mabalite FMR in Mountain Province which has a physical accomplishment of 91.42 percent (as of March 15, 2020), resumed despite scarcity of construction materials and stringent quarantine advisories within the province.

“According to the Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit (PPMIU) of Mountain Province, the contractor of the subproject will continue roadway excavation despite lack of workforce and quarantine restrictions,” said engineer Genesis Deloeg, RIE of Mountain Province.

Despite limited mobility, Deloeg said the PPMIU is working to accomplish pending documents (variation order and billing documents) of the sub-project.

Meanwhile, Danilo M. Agliam of the Regional Project Coordination Office and Social and Environmental Safeguards (SES) unit head said all subproject contractors are mandated to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Standards of the Dept. of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

“Prior to the issuance of notice to proceed (NTP), contractors were required to submit the DOLE-approved construction health and safety plan (CHSP) for compliance of the contractor,” he added.

Other contractors of DA-PRDP-funded infrastructure subprojects in the Cordillera provinces are having a difficulty in complying with construction safety standards it was learned.

According to engineer Gaston B. Cael, RPCO-CAR I-Build head, suspension of subprojects due to this pandemic would result to major delays in work accomplishment and disbursement but the health and safety of every worker is still the primary concern as we face this health crisis.

“Implementation delays in this time of crisis are inevitable. Not only in terms of physical and financial progress of subprojects but also on the procurement processes since it is being steered by LGUs as the procuring entity. Nonetheless, we still hope for the smooth implementation of subprojects in this new normal status,” he added.