Reliable sources claim that the unfinished four-story school building project abandoned in 2019 by a construction company belonging to controversial contractor Cezarah Rowena “Sarah” Discaya was actually implemented by its two local partners.
According to informed sources, the two partners were a former local official of a northern town and a close friend based in Quezon city.
The partnership reportedly bagged a total of four school building projects aside from the one at Viga Rural Development High School (VRDHS): one each at Gigmoto RDHS, Bote Integrated School in Bato, Bagamanoc RDHS and at Supang Datag, Caramoran.
Data regarding the contracts secured by Alpha and Omega General Contractor & Development Corporation of Bambang, Pasig City in 2018 was requested by the Tribune from personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Catanduanes District Engineering Office last week but information was not made available.
The VRDHS contract was awarded by the Catanduanes DEO to the Discaya company on Oct. 12, 2018 under Contract ID No. 18FH0165 and covered the construction of a four-story, 10-classroom reinforced concrete building.
The 10 classrooms were to be used as science laboratories, ICT laboratories, regular workshops and Senior High School.
The entire works in the contract, with an amount of P35,711,353.64, was supposed to be completed within 280 days or by July 2019.
With a similar contract amount of P35.8 million, the one at Gigmoto RDHS was also a four-storey building but with 16 classrooms.
However, Alpha and Omega’s local partners allegedly ran out of money and abandoned the five projects with accomplishments ranging from five to 10 percent.
The Viga RDHS project underwent rebidding, with a certain Ventures Construction winning the contract but, like Alpha and Omega, had to leave the project unfinished.
The DPWH Catanduanes DEO, then headed by OIC-District Engineer Gil Augustus Balmadrid, had no choice but to recommend the termination of the contract to Regional Director Virgilio Eduarte.
The funds reverted to the National Treasury upon the expiration of its period of use, it is claimed, while Alpha and Omega had to pay liquidated damages to the DPWH.
According to an official of the Viga LGU, what worsened the situation was the fact that the contractor demolished a still usable school building on the site where the new edifice was to be constructed.
The school management had to fill up holes in the ground left behind by the contractors to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for dengue-causing mosquitoes.