ARMM gov’t awards P329.8-M infra projects in Basilan, Sulu

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - ?Officials on Thursday awarded to lowest bidders P329.8 million worth of seaport expansion and road projects in Basilan and Sulu, which are infrastructure initiatives meant to restore normalcy in the two conflict-stricken island provinces.

Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and his public works secretary, Engineer Don Mustapha Loong, signed the contracts for the projects, along with representatives of the firms that had the lowest quotations for the construction works in Zamboanga City.

The infrastructure packages are comprised of a P194 million grant for the expansion of the seaports in Lamitan City and Jolo town in Sulu and P135.8 million for the concreting of roads in Basilan, to be implemented by contractors LG Lagascar Inc. and the Santiago Inc., respectively.

Hataman and Loong both urged media outfits in Zamboanga City, Sulu and Basilan to help monitor the implementation of the projects.

“All documents pertaining to the funds for these projects and corresponding programs of work are open to scrutiny anytime by the media and interested civil society organizations,” Hataman said.

Hataman said the projects were subjected to public biddings in keeping with the Republic Act 9184, also known as the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA), meant to ensure efficiency and transparency in the utilization of state funds earmarked for payment of services and supplies.

Loong said the P329.8 million budget for the projects will be drawn from the ARMM’s 2015 infrastructure subsidy.

The ARMM government allocated P145.5 million for the improvement of the seaport in Lamitan City, capital of Basilan province and P48.5 million for the expansion of the Jolo wharf.

Loong said an initial improvement of the Lamitan City port was done by the Hataman administration with a P40 million budget from the 2012 infrastructure money of the autonomous region.

The road projects awarded to a contractor last Thursday include the P38.8 million Tipo-Tipo-Sangkuyut road, the P27.1 million Sangkuyut-Bohe Suyat road, the P11.6 million Materling-Tong Bato road and the P58.2 million Amaloy-Matata-Bucalao road, all in Ungkaya Pukan town, Basilan.