COA: MMDA wasted funds on NAIA rotunda

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Audit (COA) has accused the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) of wasting government funds when the agency beautified the Circulo del Mundo Rotunda near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, despite knowing that the structure was scheduled for demolition.

State auditors, in a report released yesterday, said the MMDA could have avoided incurring P803,000 in unnecessary expenses.

The COA report said the MMDA spent government funds to put up park lamps and improve the landscape of the Circulo del Mundo Rotunda by planting 150 trees in August 2012 and July 2013.

State auditors said the construction phase of the NAIA Expressway Project started in January 2014, as shown in the website of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

However, records show that the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) board approved the 17.15-kilometer elevated expressway project on May 30, 2012.

“Certainly, the resulting demolition of the Layag Islas structure at the Circulo del Mundo Rotunda on Andrews Avenue had been expected even in the early stage of planning the expressway project and, therefore, there should be no need for further improvement to beautify the said structure to prevent wastage of government funds,” the COA report said.

Not a waste

The MMDA, in its defense, said the additional expenses should not be considered a waste of government funds.

The park lamps were installed following complaints from residents about the peace and order situation in the area, the MMDA said.

As for the beautification, the MMDA said while waiting for the NAIA expressway construction to start, it used the rotunda as a nursery for a tree-planting project. 

“The trees and shrubs were balled and transplanted to another site for these plants to attain growth stability,” the agency said.

Unconvinced

State auditors were, however, unconvinced by the MMDA’s explanation. They said the agency should have installed lighting that would provide enough illumination to deter crimes, not just “stylish” park lamps.

The COA report said purchase orders show the trees purchased for the rotunda were already 10 to 15 feet tall and meant for a mini-forest and botanical garden. 

“A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. In this case, however, the size of the trees purchased did not seem to be needing a nursery,” state auditors said.