BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, April 17 (PNA) — Provincial lawmakers here are pushing for a more advantageous scheme of infrastructure project implementation in the province to maximize funds from the local government coffers.
Board member Pepito Balgos said they are now inclined to support the scheme ‘by administration’ rather than “by contract’ in the implementation of road concreting and other infrastructure projects for the province.
“One of the methods considered is that of the project by administration method which is seen to be a more practical scheme that would bring more savings for the government,” he said.
Balgos who proposed the scheme in a resolution said the ‘by administration” mode will enable the provincial government in maximizing its resources such as heavy equipments that will result in a bigger coverage of projects.
He said that with the ‘by administration ’ mode, the provincial government can further employ workers during the implementation of infrastructure projects.We will also be able to provide livelihood opportunities to our constituents who are in dire need of a job to feed their families,” Balgos said.
A report by the Provincial Engineering Office(PEO) showed that a contract mode of project implementation is more expensive than that of “by administration.”A project that cost Php1.930 million completed a 500 meter long concrete road using the ‘by administration mode’ compared to the 371.3 meters of a contracted project, showing a 25.93% difference..
Another comparison showed that a Php10 million appropriation will complete a total of 2.6401 kilometers of concrete road using the proposed method and only 1.67 kilometers will be finished through the ‘by contract’ scheme.
“The supposed income to be gained by the contractors will definitely be reverted as savings on the part of the provincial government. It is more likely that we will adopt austerity measures to ensure that public funds and resources are being utilized at its maximum yet in a careful and economic way. In such a way we can deliver more services to our people and fast-track development,” Balgos said. (PNA)