ARMM awards 9 infra projects to bidders

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  - The bidding process for nine new infrastructure  projects worth P363 million has helped the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao saved money.

The contracts for the projects --- reblocking of damaged portions of highways in Maguindanao, concreting of roads in the second district of the province, and construction of roads and seaports and a water system in Basilan --- were awarded to winning bidders last November 29.

Hadji Emil Sadain, regional public works secretary of ARMM, said the bidding process for the nine projects, made open to the media and representatives of different civil society organizations in the autonomous region, resulted  in savings worth P520,000.

Sadain said they will seek clearance from the national government to spend the savings either for other projects, or for the procurement of engineering equipment.

Sadain said the program of works and all tranches of funds to contractors implementing the nine projects will be open to media scrutiny.

The ARMM’s Department of Public Works and Highways, whose coffer is being managed jointly by Sadain, Gov. Mujiv Hataman, and auditors from the Commission on Audit, earlier saved P136 million from unspent project funds it received from the national government from early 2012 to middle of 2013.

Hataman's office, the Office of the Regional Governor,  exercises ministerial control over more than a dozen line agencies devolved by the national government, and more than 20 other support offices.

The P136 million the DPWH had earlier saved was spent, with permission from COA and the Department of Budget and Management, for the procurement of road building and maintenance equipment for the district engineering offices in the autonomous region.

The autonomous region covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in mainland Mindanao, the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Lamitan and Marawi. - John Unson