Abandoned health center project irks town mayor

TAPAZ, Capiz – Mayor Roberto “Nonong” Palomar of this town is frustrated and angry at the contractor of an abandoned rural health unit project in the town.

Palomar said the contractor of the P10.8-million Rural Health Unit (RHU)-2 building will be facing charges for allegedly abandoning the project.

The mayor said Pacific Summit Construction Group, Inc. (PSCGI) could be charged for breach of contract and estafa for stopping the work on the RHU project since July 2017 without prior notice.

In a press conference on Jan 9, 2019, the mayor said PSCGI incurred debts to local suppliers amounting to more or less P1.1 million.

Worse, many of the firm’s laborers remain unpaid of their wages after their supervisor went missing.

The press conference was attended by the representatives from the Rural Health Unit (RHU) for Center for Health Development in Region 6 led by Engr. Rochell D. Ang.

At present, the project is 45 percent completed.

Palomar said he has informed the Department of Health (DOH) regarding the problem.

He also lambasted the Philippines International Trading Corp (PITC) for releasing the 15 percent mobilization fund to the contractor.

Reports said that PITC is a trading arm of the government that facilitates the bidding and transfer of funds for the project.

“I was so confident that the project would be completed in a time frame because the funds were being downloaded by PITC. But until now, the persons which the contractor owed money to and construction materials remain unpaid,” the mayor added.

Palomar recommended the termination and blacklisting of PSCGI because of the controversy. He also asked the national government to download the funds to the local government units instead of other government agencies.

He also sought a thorough investigation into the RHU project to find possible remedies and ensure its completion.

According to Palomar, the project is one of the 10 RHU-Small Models in Visayas under BID Ref. No. GAG-B2-2016-148.

“The town of Tapaz is very thankful for the project given by the administration. The project is a great help to our people especially the 22 upland barangays but the contractor left the project without any notice,” the mayor said.

The management of PSCGI based in Taguig City, Metro Manila has yet to comment on the issue.