Flooding in Metro could have been prevented – COA

MANILA, Philippines — Flooding in Metro Manila – especially in Marikina, Makati, Manila and Quezon City – could have been minimized or prevented had the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) completed major flood control projects programmed for 2018 and 2019, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in a report.

“Various projects were not completed/implemented within the specific contract time due to inadequate planning and absence of coordination mechanism with the other concerned agencies and stakeholders, which hindered the MMDA in attaining its objective to mitigate flooding in the metropolis,” a COA report read.

Based on the COA’s 2019 annual audit report on the MMDA released last Sept. 30, of the 108 programmed flood control projects of the agency for 2019 totaling P1.1 billion, only 45.37 percent or 49 projects amounting to P453.242 million were completed as of yearend.

But Baltazar Melgar, chief of the MMDA’s Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office (FCSMO), told The STAR  that the projects cited by COA were “completed this year.”

“The said projects are only minor ones like improvement of drainage, riprapping and rehabilitation of waterways leading to our pumping stations,” he said.

“The completion of these projects was delayed because the approval of the GAA (General Appropriations Act) was also delayed, and there was an election ban,” he said.

In a reply attached to the COA report, however, FCSMO said it is “re-assessing existing practices and discerning additional measures in order to ensure timely completion of flood control projects.”

COA’s record showed that 54.63 percent or 59 programmed projects amounting P639.561 million remain unfinished, seven of which have not even started.

The audit body said this was on top of 13 flood control projects amounting to P97.531 million programmed for 2018, which also remain uncompleted as of end of 2019.

It noted that as of Dec. 31, 2019, a majority or 34 of the 52 projects had incurred delays of up to 125 days from the agreed completion dates in the contracts.

Verification by the audit team also revealed that the seven unimplemented projects for 2019 were already awarded to respective contractors with corresponding Notices to Proceed (NTPs) and yet had not started as of end of the year.

Thirteen unfinished projects for 2018 could have addressed the perennial flooding problems in the cities of Marikina, Makati, Manila and Quezon City.

Five of the 13 unfinished projects involved drainage improvement and construction in Malanday, Marikina.

Three projects, meanwhile, involved drainage system improvement along J.P. Rizal Extension, J.P. Rizal-Estrella and Kalayaan Avenue in District 2, Makati, while two drainage improvement projects were programmed for C.M. Recto and Punta Sta. Ana in Manila.

Drainage improvement should have also been undertaken along Commonwealth Avenue and Paltok Creek, both in Quezon City.

Also programmed for 2018 was the construction of floodgate in Barangay Old Zaniga in Mandaluyong City.

The audit body attributed the delays in the completion of the projects to the MMDA’s failure to include in its 2019 Annual Procurement Plan (APP) a detailed procurement timeline or schedule for each project.

COA said it also took the MMDA too long to complete its public bidding activities, usually from 161 to 314 calendar days from the ideal maximum period of 141 calendar days, “thereby not upholding the government commitment for an efficient and economic procurement process and ultimately resulting to delays in the implementation of projects.” – Ghio Ong