Corruption, mismanagement brushed off in delayed, unfinished Baguio City infrastructure projects
Art Dumlao — March 4, 2025
Corruption, mismanagement brushed off in delayed, unfinished Baguio City infrastructure projects
BAGUIO CITY (March 3, 2025) -- 'There was no corruption and mismanagement in the implementation of four crucial projects in the city which suffered delays,' Baguio City Administrator, Engr. Bonifacio Dela Pena promised.
Dela Pena clarified that the socialized housing project Luna Terraces was put on hold not attributable to the city government but because of the problem of funding on the part of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
The city administrator said it was DHSUD which selected the contractor to undertake the site development.
The city’s task of pre-qualifying beneficiaries had been complied with through the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development Officer (OCSWDO) and the City Planning Development and Sustainability Office (CPDSO), dela Pena said.
The Baguio City Administrator also said that Mayor Benjamin Magalong and concerned offices continued to exert efforts lobbying with DHSUD to get the project moving.
While the termination of the Youth Convergence Center at the Baguio Athletic Bowl came about because of the contractor’s lapses having reached 15 percent slippage.
The city had strictly monitored the project leading to the determination of liquidated damages and eventually the termination and later blacklisting of the contractor, dela Pena added.
The project was later subjected to two rebidding processes but failed each time due to incomplete documents submitted by the bidders.
Dela Pena said that considering the time that elapsed and the two unsuccessful bidding procedures, the City Bids and Awards Committee decided to employ the negotiated bidding modality and results were expected this week.
The Wright Park Multi-Purpose Building with the Sustainable Infrastructure Projects Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG) and Big Impact Project (BIP) components was stopped due to poor workmanship.
Rebidding process is also ongoing and dela Pena said they hope to resume the project as soon as possible.
While the Irisan barangay hall project was delayed due to the revisions requested by the barangay officials and thus required extension procedures. However the process has been threshed out and the project has been completed and ready for inauguration, dela Pena said.
The City Administrator requested those reporting and posting about city government projects to exercise prudence and circumspection in doing their jobs to be able to provide only facts and the truth to the public. He said these projects are properly documented with records that can be found at the different offices.
Dela Pena urged the public to be more discerning of the posts they are reading to protect themselves from false or misleading information that can affect their judgement.
