THE Moreno administration yesterday denied that projects it implemented were overpriced contrary to claims of it detractors, pointing out that the Commission on Audit (COA) has found them “reasonable and in order.” In a statement, Maricel Rivera, city hall spokesperson, said that in various technical inspection reports released by the COA, state auditors consistently stated in their findings that the approved budgets for the contracts were lower than the COA-evaluated costs, and “the same were found reasonable and in order.” Rivera said these findings apply to the following projects, among others, of the Moreno administration:
  • eighty-classroom, four-story building, Cagayan de Oro National High School, Nazareth (P119,968,174);
  • twenty-one-classroom, three-story building with covered roofdeck and ramp, Carmen National High School (P33,948,975.32);
  • ten-classroom, three-story building, Mambuaya Elementary School (P9,489,960);
  • concrete-paving Pigsag-an-Tumpagon Road, Pigsag-an Section (P4,994,884.32);
  • Twenty-one-classroom, three-story with roofdeck, Pedro “Oloy” N. Roa Sr. Elementary (P25,537,930.52);
  • six-classroom, one-story building, Tuburan National High School (P5,488,839.99);
  • sixteen-classroom, three-story with covered roofdeck at Pagatpat Elementary School (P19,870,810.32);
  • sixteen-classroom with roofdeck Balulang National High School (P5,398,409.21);
  • sixteen-clasroom, two-story Tablon National High School (P14,450,629.59); and
  • concrete-paving of Balulang National High School premises (P1,612,867.11).
Rivera said Mayor Oscar Moreno has always reminded the bureaucracy to spend taxpayers money judiciously. (cio)