The local construction industry and the hundreds of workers depending on it are set to lose out on infrastructure projects being implemented by the DPWH Catanduanes District Engineering Office as it has again decided to conduct its bidding at the regional office.
According to documents furnished to the Tribune, at least two (2) multi-million projects supposed to be bid out at the district office have been bid out or advertised for bidding by the DPWH regional office.
Mainland contractors are favored to win the March 19, 2025 public bidding of the P77-million Reconstruction of Sagrada Bridge in Bagamanoc and the P48-million Construction of Flood Control along Bato river.
While DPWH Catanduanes District Engineer Simon Arias or the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) has not disclosed the bidding of the projects at the regional office, the Invitations to Bid published by the DPWH on PhilGEPS indicate the “Contract ID” for the projects are 25FH0101 and 25FH0102.
The “FH” designation belongs to the Catanduanes DEO, with the ID for regional office projects have only a single letter, “F.”
Last Feb. 28, the regional office conducted the bidding of the P28-million Widening of Marcos Bridge (Phase III) along the circumferential road at Sto. Domingo, Virac, under Contract ID No. 25F00215.
Also being scheduled for at the DPWH regional office in Legazpi City are the following projects: Asphalt Overlay along the San Andres-Virac Section of the circumferential road, with an estimated length of almost 4 kilometers; Construction of Breakwater (Phase 2) at Palnab, Virac; Construction of Seawall at Eastern Poblacion, Baras; Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road at Moning-Sagrada in Baras; Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road from Macutal to Sitio Kalanggasan in Baras; and Concreting of Farm-to-Market Road at Sitio Sogod, Soboc, Viga.
The Tribune was unable to secure the project costs of the projects as of press time.
Last January, a member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan sharply criticized the office of DE Arias for allegedly indicating that it would move for the bidding at the regional office not only of district infrastructure projects but also its goods and services.
This intention was reportedly expressed by the district engineer in a meeting with key officials during the first working day of 2025.
In a privilege speech, he questioned Arias’ reason – the lack of a functioning BAC – considering that it was the district engineer’s fault in the first place as he did not submit a new composition to the Central Office before the expiration of the terms of the members.
The vice chairman of the committee resigned as he was hospitalized due to stress and political pressure while another provisional member was replaced for refusal to obey “directives from above.”
This left the BAC with just the chairman and two memberS, which PBM Balidoy was still enough to conduct and decide on procurement activities.
He said that what has been happening at DPWH Catanduanes is designed to achieve what DE Arias and his political patron wants in the first place: for the regional office to again handle the implementation of projects supposed to be done by the district.
“Habo ta nang mangyari an salang paagui na ini kan DPWH, dahil sa sobrang danyos na pigasapar bako sana nin local construction industry kundi pati kan local na ekonomiya, lalo na ta dai mamakal nin gamit sa local na hardware store an mga maganang taga-ibong na contractors,” PBM Balidoy stressed.
The PBM asked the board to invite DE Arias to appear during the regular session to shed light on the matter but has consistently refused to do so.
It may be recalled that for two consecutive years now since Congressman Eulogio Rodriguez, a former contractor, took office in 2022, a huge majority of the infrastructure projects of the DPWH Catanduanes District Engineering Office have been implemented by the regional office.
Last year, only 25 percent of the P3.5 billion worth of projects for Catanduanes were transferred to the DPWH regional office allegedly upon request of the solon’s office.
“Sobra sa sarong bilyon na fondo an nawara sa satong isla. Bako sanang mga local na contractista ang dai nataohan nin oportunidad na makakua kan mga proyecto, pati an saindang mga empleyado, magpoon sa mga ingeniero hanggan sa hornal, nawaran nin trabaho. Nabawasan an kinolektang buwis kan BIR, ta an tax sa mga proyectong ini aduman na binawas sa regional office,” PBM Balidoy stated.
Last November 2024, the DPWH Catanduanes Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) conducted the bidding of seven projects worth a total of P175 million but unfortunately, majority of the projects went to local contractors instead of the favored mainland contractors.
The following day after an ‘unfavorable’ result, DE Arias cancelled the bidding of vital 23 infrastructure projects scheduled a few weeks later allegedly due to the impact of tropical depression “Kristine.”