THE Department of Public Works and Highways claimed to have spent P368.44-million for a 12-contract road-and-bridge project in 2010 but not a single infrastructure was completed, according to the Commission on Audit.
The CoA said the projects were part of the National Roads Improvement and Management Program Phase II (NRIMP-2) for which the government took out a $232 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD-World Bank).
It was learned from CoA that four contract packages were supposed to be finished by Dec. 31, 2010 and the rest before closing date of the loan on Dec. 31, 2012.
“The only project implemented, which was the …. Widening/Improvement of Marcos Highway Project (Evangelista to Masinag), located in Metro Manila, is currently 8.62 percent completed,” the CoA said.
Although the bank made available the amount of P1.15-billion for disbursement on the NRIMP-2 projects, the CoA said that actual utilization only reached P368.44 million.
However, the CoA revealed that the big bulk of the expenses went to “consultant services” worth P128.62 million and advance payment for civil works amounting to P145.38 million.
Continue Reading at Journal Online
