BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong signified his intention to personally file a series of complaints to Public Works Secretary Mark Villar on the alleged existence of sub-standard projects implemented in the different parts of the city showing the sorry state of the projects completed by the contractors and the implementing agency.
The local chief executive made specific reference to the questionable quality of the slope protection wall and the concrete pavement along Legarda Road that were implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways–Baguio City District Engineering Office (DPWH-BCDEO).
“I took photos of the sorry state of the slope protection wall and the concrete pavement and I am willing to file a complaint against whoever is involved in the questionable implementation of the projects even before Secretary Villar,” Magalong stressed.
Experts in the construction industry explained that the DPWH-BCDEO focused too much on the heavy concrete for the structure in the programming of the slope protection wall, instead of putting emphasis on the provision of adequate reinforcement bars to guarantee the strength of the slope protection wall to prevent its collapse.
He stated that all public works contractors must ensure their completed, ongoing and future projects will be compliant to the prescribed standards because he will not hesitate to initiate the filing of complaints against them for the imposition of appropriate sanctions against them for their inability to prosecute their awarded projects in accordance with the stipulated programs of work and project specifications.
According to him, he does not owe any debt of gratitude to any contractor and he wants all public works projects must be implemented with utmost consideration to the quality of the projects so that there will be no waste of taxpayer’s money considering that public works projects must reach their prescribed economic life.
Earlier, Magalong ordered the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) and City Engineering Office (CEO) to ensure all contractors implementing various nationally- and locally-funded public works projects comply with safety standards pursuant to the occupational safety and health standards strictly imposed by the labor and employment department.
He asserted all contractors must provide for the personal protective equipment of their workers to ensure these will be spared from any possible untoward incidents in their work areas that will compromise the safety of those within the project sites.
The city mayor also directed the aforesaid offices to immediately issue the appropriate notices of violation to the erring contractors so that they will be imposed the appropriate fines to serve as lessons in their refusal to comply with the prescribed standards in their work places considering the need to make sure that all projects sites are safe for the workers and the public to prevent potential threats to life and limb.
By Dexter A. See