Bangui mayor assails DPWH ‘substandard project’

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

BANGUI, Ilocos Norte—The local chief executive here has assailed a multi-million slope protection project being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office for its alleged defective stone masonry works and use of substandard cement mixtures.

According to Bangui mayor Fidel Cimatu, the slope protection project located along the zigzag road of a national highway at Brgy. Baruyen is just four months old but it has already started to deteriorate.

Based on inspection initiated by the Municipal Engineering Office, Engr. Albert Balualua attested the eroded portion of the slope protection project of the DPWH have no footing foundation which means the boulders are not intact and they have noticed poor cement mixture.

“Because of this, it is prone to cracks especially if there is an earthquake,” said Mr. Balualua backing the mayor’s claim that said project was substandard.

To date, the project contractor is conducting restoration on the eroded portion of the project but according to Mr. Cimatu, “it is just a make-up.”

In view of this, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan conducted a public hearing on October 12, inviting concerned DPWH personnel from the district and regional offices to explain the procedure and the specific roles of the implementing agency.

According to SP member Da Vinci M. Crisostomo, the objective of the hearing is to come up with an ordinance to strengthen the participation of the local government units or end users of any project within their respective jurisdiction, regardless of who is implementing it.

Due to lack of personnel tasked to monitor a lot of on-going regional projects of the DPWH, Engr. Angelito Dian of the DPWH regional office admitted this could probably be the reason why some of the defects of the projects are not closely monitored.

“If they [contractors] do it right, there should be no problem,” said Engr. Nestor Pasion of the DPWH Ilocos Norte first engineering district.

The DPWH earlier warned contractors with defective projects due to the use of inferior or substandard materials will no longer be eligible to participate in future bidding of projects.

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