‘DOH project contractor to get payment’

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has given assurance that it will pay the contractor of its project involving the construction of 5,700 barangay health stations in public schools across the country.

DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo said a task force is looking into the details of the contract.

“We won’t pay until we have validated which are the ones that the DOH must pay,” Domingo said.

 He said the DOH is not alluding to JBros Construction Corp. when Health Secretary Francisco Duque III bared a supposed anomaly surrounding the project.

“I think the secretary was referring to government workers who may have been involved in alleged irregularities,” Domingo said.

Duque cited problems from planning, procurement and implementation of the project worth P8.1 billion.

“These are the shortcomings he was referring to. When we roll out a program, there should be complete planning, monitoring and implementation,” Domingo said.

Former health secretary Janette Garin initiated the project.

JBros has denied any wrongdoing, saying Duque is using the issue as an excuse for its refusal to settle financial obligations.

The company filed a case against Duque and other DOH officials before the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission, saying the agency has yet to pay them for 22 percent of the project that they had completed.