DPWH ANSWERS LIM

CALASIAO – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has declared anew that the still unfinished 4.157 kilometer Dawel-Pantal-Lucao road in Dagupan is above-board and can withstand public scrutiny.

Showing facts and figures to the media in a news conference Thursday night, DPWH Regional Director Fidel Ginez denied recent accusations by Mayor Benjamin Lim that the road project is overpriced and that irregularities attended the construction of the project.

It was the second time that Lim publicly lambasted the regional office about the conduct of the road project. The first time was when he questioned the alignment of the diversion road that passes at the back of a big mall in barangay Lucao owned by his business rival, CSI.

“That is an old, old issue that we had answered and explained all over again,” said Ginez, who was observably feeling frustrated having made to respond to the mayor’s endless questions about the project.

The total cost of the project is pegged at P334.5 million, with right of way compensation alone amounting to P32 million.

He explained that the right of way compensation ended higher than expected because the diversion road cuts through swamps and former fishponds owned by various families in the city. Then, acquisition of right of way, especially on the Dawel side, took sometime because property owners were reluctant to give way to the project.

Ginez told newsmen that as per funding release by the Department of Budget and Management, their accomplishment on the project is now 90 per cent. But based on the total program, it is only 80 per cent yet.

The P286,716,654 fund that has so far been spent for the road came solely from the Countrywide Development Fund of House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

Answering Lim’s repeated overtures that irregularities marred the construction of the project, a visibly peeved Ginez went into detail explaining the six phases of the diversion road.

Phases 1, 2, 3 and 4, Ginez said, were all approved by the DPWH central office, not by him because the contact prices were above his authority to sign as DPWH regional director, and clarified that he can be made to account only for the costs of Phases 5 and 6.

Phase 1 cost P75 million; Phase 2 and 3, P50 million each; and Phase 4 was almost P57 million. Phase 5 and 6 are worth P22 million each.

There are also two small bridges, Guibang 1 and Guibang 2, that were constructed along the length of the new diversion road at a cost of P62 million.

Invoking transparency in his operations, Ginez said the prices for phases 1-4 were scrutinized before their programs of works were signed, and his office has been submitting regular accomplishment reports to Mayor Lim’s office.

He added that the thickness of the concrete pavement will no longer be the usual seven- inch thickness but the newly prescribed 11-inch thickness.

Ginez said they need some P60 million more to finish the concreting and settle their balance in the acquisition of right of way.

He said the diversion road will be ready before the completion of the P906 million new Pantal Bridge which is set on September 2008. — LM

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments