Over three-and-a-half billion pesos of infrastructure projects will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) this 2024 in Catanduanes but 72 percent of the funding allocation will be handled by its central and regional offices.
Only 76 projects worth a total of P977 million will be bid out by the DPWH Catanduanes District Engineering Office, with the regional office to implement 14 projects worth P1.89 billion and the central office another 18 projects valued at P683 million.
This means that majority of the 108 multi-million contracts will most likely be won by mainland contractors, to the detriment of local construction companies which has let go most of its works due to lack of contracts since last year.
It is only at the Catanduanes DEO that local contractors have enjoyed success in the public bidding of infra projects, with bidders forced to submit bids as much as 25 percent below the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC).
More than half of the P3.55-billion allocation, or exactly P1,999,500,000.00, will be spent for the construction of 20 river control and flood control structures.
This mirrors the DPWH’s overall allocation of P203 billion for flood control projects nationwide, prompting former Senator Panfilo Lacson to warn against the potential misuse of government funds intended said projects in a social media post last November 2023.
In contrast, the construction of water systems has been given a measly P21 million or just 0.59 percent of the total funding of the Catanduanes DEO for 2024.
Here’s how the balance of the P3.55-billion kitty was divided: Catanduanes Circumferential Road, nine (9) projects, P336,9 million; Secondary National Roads, two (2) projects, P53.6 million; National Bridges, four (4) projects, P77 million; Access Roads leading to Ports or Tourism Sites, seven (7) projects, P185 million; Barangay Roads, 13 projects, P175 million; and Multi-Purpose Buildings, 36 projects, P217 million.
Nearly half a billion pesos have been slated for the following projects: Imelda Boulevard in Virac, P250 million; Construction of Multi-Purpose Building (Training and Instructional Facility/Meetings, Incentives, Conferences for Education, Sports Building (MICES) and Primary Health Center, P100 million; Construction of Catanduanes People’s Center Phase II, Virac, P50 million; Construction of Catanduanes People’s Center Phase III, Virac, P30 million; Construction of Philippine Coast Guard Detachment, Sitio LORAN, Quigaray, Bagamanoc, P35 million; Rehabilitation of Materials Testing Laboratory Building, Catanduanes DEO, P13.55 million; Construction of Evacuation Center, Batalay, Bato, P5 million; and Construction (Completion) of Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Building, Virac, P2 million.
The list of projects was furnished to the Tribune by a DPWH insider last week, following the publication of the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Projects to be implemented by the DPWH Regional Office are the following: P100 million each for the Construction of Flood Control Structure in Buyo, Gogon Sirangan, Ibong Sapa and Simamla, all in Virac; P200 million each for the Construction and/or Rehabilitation of Flood Control Structure in Hicming, Sto. Domingo and Pajo Baguio in Virac, Obi in Caramoran, and Sitio Tagbak in Paraiso, San Miguel; P250 million for Imelda Boulevard in Virac; P100 million for the MICES/Primary Health Center in Virac; P60 million for the Road Leading to Maribina Falls, Balongbong Falls, Mangrove Eco-Park, Sakahon Beach, Bote Lighthouse, Japanese Garrison (Mt. Arinawan), Bitaogan Beach and Carorian Wonders, all in Bato; P30 million for Construction of Flood Control Structure at Calatagan Tibang to Danicop in Virac; and P50 million for the Construction of Catanduanes People’s Center in Virac.
On the other hand, the DPWH Central Office will bid out and handle the following projects: three (3) Catanduanes Circumferential Road projects at a total cost of P140 million; Construction of River Control Structure, Osmena, Baras, P100 million; Construction of Flood Control Structure along Cabugao-Binanuahan Section, Bato, P102 million; Construction of Flood Control Structure along Bato River (Poblacion and Sipi), P101 million; Construction of Flood Mitigation Structure, Bato River, Sipi Section, P70 million; Construction of River Control Structure, Salvacion, Baras, P50 million; Construction of River Control Structure, Macutal River (Rizal Section), Baras, P50 million; Access Road to Orosok-Osok Falls, San Miguel, P20 million; Bahao Falls Access Road, Gigmoto, P10 million; Access Road to Bontahiya Falls, San Miguel, P10 million; P5 million each for the Construction of Multi-Purpose Buildings at Bote in Bato, Calatagan Proper in Virac, Maculiw in Panganiban, Palta Big in Virac, Poblacion in Gigmoto and Catagbacan in San Andres.
Left for the Catanduanes DEO to implement this year are the following projects: four Catanduanes Circumferential Road projects worth a total of P196 million; two (2) projects along the Bato-Baras and Panganiban-Sabloyon roads costing a total of P53 million; Marcos Bridge, Tokyo Bridge, Banquerohan Bridge and Quiambang Bridge, P77 million; flood control and river control structures at Benticayan and Bagong Sirang, Baras, P77.5 million; Access Road to Pananaohan Port in Bato, P10 million; Access Road to Loran Station and Loroman Cove, Bagamanoc, P25 million; Construction of PCG Detachment at Loran Station, Bagamanoc, P35 million;
Construction of Barangay Roads at Magsaysay to Bugao, Bagamanoc, P5 million; Pananaogan, Bitaogan, Marinawa, Balongbong and San Pedro, Bato, P8 million; Buenavista, Ogis, Aroyao Pequeno and Tilis, Bato, P5 million; Bigaa, Palnab del Sur and Mislagan, Capilihan, Virac, P6 million; Putsan to Danao, Baras, P5 million; Bato, P5 million; Cabuyoan, Panganiban, P6 million; Sitio Kagrat-Sitio Butan, Agban, Baras, P20 million; Lictin, San Andres, P5 million; Hiyop-Baldoc, Pandan, P50 million; Bagawang-San Isidro, Pandan, P50 million; Porot, Pandan, P5 million;
Construction of Flood Control Structure at Tubli and Dariao, Caramoran, P7 million; Agoho, Tibang and San Jose, San Andres, P6 million; and Palta Salvacion, Palnab del Norte and Palta Big, P6 million;
Construction (Completion) of Multi-Purpose Building at Ibong Sapa, Virac, P4 million; Libod, Bato (P22 million; Genitligan, Baras, P5 million; Baras, P20 million; Agban, Baras, P5 million; Libod, Bato (P22 million); Tamburan, Bato (P2.5 million); Sipi, Bato (P3.5 million); Benticayan, Baras (P3 million); Buenavista, Virac (P2 million);
Construction (Completion) of MPB at Bato RDHS, P30 million; Belmonte, San Andres (P2 million); Binahuahan, Bato (P4 million); Bon-ot, San Andres (P4 million); Hicming, Virac (P2 million); Oco, Viga (P2 million); Pagsangahan, San Miguel (P2 million); Porot, Pandan (P3 million); Rawis, Virac (P2 million); Rizal, Viga (P3 million); San Pedro, Panganiban (P2 million); Sicmil, Gigmoto (P3 million); Sta. Teresa, Bagamanoc, P2 million; Timbaan, San Andres (P2 million); Poblacion District I, Gigmoto (P2 million); Sta. Cruz, San Andres (P3 million); Bato (P8 million); and San Andres, Bato (P2 million);
Completion of Water System at Dororian, Gigmoto, P2 million; Milaviga and Bocon, Caramoran, P5 million; Genitligan, Baras, P 2 million; Ogbong, Viga, P2 million; Paniquihan, Baras, P 2 million; Sabloyon, Caramoran, P2 million; San Roque, Bato, P3 million; and Tambongon, Viga, P3 million.
Catanduanes Peoples Center, Virac, Phase III, P50 million; Home for the Elderly, Virac, P10 million; PIA Building, Virac, P 2 million; Evacuation Center, Batalay, Bato, P5 million; Provincial Training Center, Baras, P10 million; and Rehabilitation of Materials Testing Laboratory Building, Catanduanes DEO, P13.55 million.