Claveria paid firm P8m despite slow work on new town hall, official says

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

THE town government of Claveria already released some P8 million to a firm that was contracted to build a new town hall for the municipality. But townsfolk, including the Claveria’s mayor, have started complaining over the slow-moving construction work.

“Naulawan ko sa migawas nga mga report sa media. Hinay kaayo ang trabaho sa contractor,” complained Claveria Mayor Redentor Salvaleon.

In an emergency meeting on Monday, Salvaleon told members of the town council he would not hesitate to terminate the town government’s contract with the firm E.M. Paule Construction with Architect R.D. Gaula and Associates unless it corrected mistakes and sped up its work.

The firm was contracted to construct a new seat of government for Claveria for some P34 million. A public notice by the Commission on Audit (COA) shows the project started on Jan. 25, 2015, and that it is supposed to be completed next month or by Jan. 16, 2016.

A check at the project site however showed that the construction work is not even 50 percent completed.

Salvaleon said he was worried that the contractor was having financial difficulties.

“The project is a joint venture with Pizarro Construction. Nagduda ko nga kulang sa capital ang maong contractor busa among gi-call ang iyang attention nga iya kining sulbaron nga problema,” Salvaleon said.

Salvaleon’s daughter, Vice Mayor Maraluna Abrogar, said townsfolk need not worry because the town government would only pay the contractor based on its performance. She however revealed that the town hall already released P8 million of the P34-million budget for the project.

Abrogar said the budget for the project remained “intact and safe.”

She also revealed that there were a few issues found by municipal engineers in a sloping area and because these need to be addressed, the town hall has sought an additional P3.8-million loan expected to be released next year.

Abrogar said the contractor asked for an extension from Jan. 16 to April next year because of these issues.

“But we admit nga hinay gyud ang pace sa project,” she said. “Walay angay kabalak-an. Pero dili pwede nga pakaulawan kami sa contractor… Walay kuarta nga mogawas kung walay billing og performance nga makita. Gamay pa ang naelease. Safe pa kaayo ang munisipyo kung magtinonto ang contractor.”

Earlier, Mousses Macabasa, the barangay chairman  of Claveria’s town center, said he and many townsfolk were worried that the project would not be completed before Salvaleon steps down next year.