Firms of clans among winners of Marawi road, housing deals

By Karol Ilagan
and Malou Mangahas
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism .

CONTRACTORS tied to political clans have been awarded a combined total of P306 million in contracts to build transitional shelter units and roads for residents of Marawi City and nearby villages of Lanao del Sur, where homes and villages last year were destroyed in the five-month battle between soldiers and Islamic State-linked militants.

Eight separate contracts, three for transitional shelters and five for road projects, were bidded out by the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways-Region 10 from October to December 2017.  All the road projects went to companies that are either owned, managed, represented by relatives connected to three political families based in Mindanao. These clans have members who are either incumbent or former congressional, regional, and local officials, or appointees of President Duterte.

NHA has disclosed on its website only the notices of bid, but not the notices of award, of its contracts. On PCIJ request, NHA e-mailed a list of only four transitory shelter contracts that it had awarded, as of December 2017 — three to two private contractors, and a fourth to the Marawi City government as contractor.

Validation came, however, from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Philgeps) which showed documents covering seven of the contracts, including three for transitional-shelter projects awarded on “negotiated bidding — emergency cases” basis.

The nation marked on Wednesday the first anniversary of the siege of Marawi. But to this day, of the estimated 350,000 persons it had displaced, “only 163,310 have returned to their home areas” while “237,500 remain effectively displaced,” according to Humanitarian Bulletin for the Philippines that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) published on May 4, 2018.

Nearly a quarter or 24 of Marawi’s 96 barangays make up “ground zero” or the “most affected area” — bombed to the ground, rendered uninhabitable — even as the rest of the villages sustained widespread damage to private, commercial, and public structures and facilities.

Government officials have advised the displaced Marawi folk that they may not be able to all return to their homes for up to three years given the enormous task of cleaning and clearing an estimated three million tons of battle debris, as well as numerous unexploded ordnance in parts of the city.. Other estimates place the total volume of debris at as much as 15 million tons.

Marawi is the capital city of Lanao del Sur, the poorest of the Philippines’ 80 provinces. Two in every three or 66 percent of families in Lanao del Sur endure extreme poverty.

Negotiated, bidded out

These days, hundreds of millions – perhaps even billions — of pesos are poised to pour into Marawi, but it remains to be seen if all that money would at least help the devastated city’s people get back on their feet soon. To be sure, though, a few contractors would benefit from a few more public contracts now.

NHA’s notice of bid documents and Philgeps procurement records show that seven Marawi projects worth a total of P306 million had been awarded to these contractors from Oct. 3 to Dec. 27, 2017:

• Fiat Construction Services;
• SMA Builder;
• KVC Construction;
• M.M.A. Achiever Construction & Development Corp.;
• Ren Ren Trading & Construction Services;
• Excelsius Engineering Services; and
• Golden Gate Construction.

Three of the contracts were awarded through negotiated procurement, and four through public bidding, ranging from P12 million to P69 million each, according to award notice abstracts from Philgeps.

Firms and clans

Fiat Construction Services, SMA Builder, and M.M.A. Achiever Construction & Development Corp. bagged road concreting projects worth a total of P173 million. These three contractors are also linked to political families in Lanao del Sur.

Farouk M. Macarambon Sr. is the registered owner of Fiat Construction, a single proprietorship. He is the father of Rolan Abdul Rashid, more popularly known as “Fiat,” and Farouk Jr., currently assemblymen in the first and second districts of Lanao del Sur in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Regional Legislative Assembly (Armm RLA), respectively.

Farouk Sr. is the cousin of former Lanao del Sur Rep. Benasing Macarambon Jr. who was recently appointed as Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority board member by President Duterte. The ex-congressman endorsed Duterte’s candidacy for president in 2016.

Through a public bidding, Fiat Construction secured one of the biggest road projects by the DPWH-10 for Marawi: the P66.6-million concreting with drainage of the road network in Areas 1-5 where transitional shelters are located. Fiat won the tender because it submitted the lowest calculated and responsive bid, records show.

The lowest calculated and responsive bid is determined by establishing the correct calculated prices of the bids and ranking of total bid prices from highest to lowest, in addition to passing post-qualification wherein eligibility, technical, and financial documents are validated.

PCIJ reached out by phone and e-mail to at least eight members and staff personnel of two of the clans that appeared to be involved in the projects. Three of the letter addressees replied; the rest have yet to do so as of this writing.

Farouk M. Macarambon Sr. is one of the three letter addressees who replied. He confirmed that his company won a contract to build a P66.6-million road project at a transitional shelter area in Marawi City through public bidding. He said that while it is still due “for completion…this (project) is crucial for the Marawi IDPs (internally displaced persons) though a losing project. This was won thru public bidding after an invitation to bid was published by DPWH Region X national.”

Farouk Sr. said that his Armm assemblymen sons Fiat and Farouk Jr., as well as cousin Benasing Jr., had nothing to do with Fiat Construction winning the contract.

“Fiat Construction Services is a triple-A contractor operating all over the Philippines since 1980 starting as small contractor,” Farouk Sr. wrote. “Indeed, it is but natural that sometimes we are winning contracts in my province where our Head office is located for 38 years.”

He also said, “We are just following Sec. 47 of RA 9184 or the Govt Procurement Law. Every bid is accompanied by sworn affidavit that the bidder is not related to the Head of the Procurement Agency, members of the BAC, the TWG, and the BAC secretariat, the head of the PMO or the end user or implementing unit, and the project consultants, by consanguinity or affinity up to the third civil degree…”

“By the way,” continued Farouk Sr., “we are (an) ISO-certified contractor and the biggest in the Lanao provinces… Hence, no perceived conflict of interest.” He closed his message with this note: “Also, it appears that the Armm-RLA abolished several years ago regional pork barrel. Thank you.”

Indeed, of the seven contractors, Fiat Construction seems to be most experienced with at least P6.16 billion worth of projects implemented in its contracting history, Philgeps data from 2009 to 2017 show.

A lot more deals

DPWH’s database of awarded contracts, meanwhile, records at least P5.12 billion worth of civil-works projects carried out by Fiat from 2009 to 2017. All of these DPWH projects should also appear in Philgeps because agencies are required to post their bid and award notices in the system.

In Region 10 and Lanao del Norte, Fiat Construction is No. 15 of 176 contractors, with P1.39 billion worth of projects in total. DPWH Central Office, where PCIJ got its data, does not keep files for Lanao del Sur as the province is part of the DPWH-Armm, an entity independent of the main office.

As a triple-A contractor, Fiat must have at least P90 million in equity and has completed a single project worth more than P150 million. It has carried out projects in various engineering districts of the DPWH, several local government units, the National Parks Development Committee, National Irrigation Administration, Department of Tourism, and the National Power Corporation. Its single biggest project so far is the “furnishing of labor and materials for the proposed Leopoldo Vergara Bridge” in the City of Cabanatuan in 2016. The work it rendered amounted to P364.8 million.

Fiat’s work is spread out across the country, racking up a total of P948.17 million worth of projects in Benguet alone from 2014 to 2017, PCIJ analysis of Philgeps 2001 to 2018 data shows. In Lanao del Sur, the Macarambons’ bailiwick, it did P849.5 million worth of projects from 2013 to 2016.

Section 47 of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act no. 9184, also known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, states that a bidder must not be related by consanguinity or affinity up to the third civil degree to the head of the procuring entity, members of the bids and awards committee (BAC) and the technical working group (TWG), members of the BAC Secretariat, head of the Project Management Office, head of the end-user unit, and project consultants.

PCIJ has no information as to whether Farouk Sr. is related to any of the persons filling such positions, however. DPWH-Region 10’s regional director, for instance, is Zenaida T. Tan.

Although experienced, Fiat has not been particularly stellar in its performance evaluations. The latest release of the Construction Performance Evaluation Summary (CPES) by the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (Ciap) shows that Fiat Construction was given below 82-percent rating in at least three projects in 2013 and 2014. Procurement rules require that contractors must obtain at least a “satisfactory” performance or 82 above. A below-82 percent CPES rating means an “unsatisfactory” performance, which typically should have resulted in a disqualification for succeeding projects.

Fiat received poor ratings for these projects:

• 77.80 rating for the “Road Upgrading (Gravel to Paved) of San Isidro – Daja Road K1018+(-497)” in Region VIII worth P45.3 million;
• 78.40 rating for the “Rd. Upgrading (Gravel to Paved) of Tabango-Catmon-La Fortuna-Manlawaan-Gimarco Rd., Km.1040+297- Km.1042+307” in Region VIII worth P44 million;
• 76.30 rating for the “Rd. Upgrading (Gravel to Paved) of Tabango-La Fortuna-Manlawaan-Gimarco Rd. Km.1040+297-Km.1042+307” in Region VIII worth P44 million;

The 26th release of the CPES report covers both ongoing and completed projects from Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2017. (with additional research by Karol Cruz, Kreizel Bojero, and John Antiquerra, PCIJ)

APART from Fiat, another company that was awarded a Marawiehabilitation contract is owned by a Macarambon: SMA Builder. Listed as its proprietor is a Salamira Macarambon Abdulbasit. Yet while documents from the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board or PCAB documents list her business address in Marawi City, PCIJ could not determine whether or not she is related to the political Macarambons as of press time.

There are, in fact, several other construction companies with owners who have “Macarambon” as their middle or last name that appear in PCAB’s database. These include Lanao Genesis Construction Supply (Achmad Macarambon Guinal, proprietor), PAS Builders (Pasayud Ramos Macarambon Jr.), AHM Builders (Amer Hussein Masorong Macarambon), Ammar Construction and Enterprises (Cosain Masorong Macarambon), and Camelot Construction Works (Rolan Abdul Rashid A. Macarambon). All these contractors are based in Marawi City.

In his Facebook profile, Fiat Macarambon says that he is the general manager of Camelot. Fiat’s full first name is Rolan Abdul Rashid, same as that of the Macarambon listed in the PCAB entry for Camelot Construction. PCIJ has not found a contract awarded to Camelot Construction in Philgeps data from 2001 to 2018 and DPWH data from 2001 to 2017.

Camelot Construction Works and Fiat Construction Services are both declared in Fiat Macarambon’s 2013 SALN or Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net worth. His SALN acknowledges that Fiat Construction is owned by his father Farouk Sr.

The owner of Ammar Construction and Enterprises, meanwhile, bears the same name as lawyer Cosain M. Macarambon, who reportedly held the position of secretary to the Sanggunian of Lanao del Sur.

Ammar Construction bagged civil-works projects worth a total of P323 million from 2011 to 2017 in Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Region 10, PCIJ analysis of DPWH data shows. Philgeps data, meanwhile, show that a total of P295.3 million worth of projects was awarded to Ammar during the same period.

Benguet-based partner

In any case, Philgeps records show that SMA Builder, along with its joint venture partner KVC Construction, was awarded a P24.7-million contract for the “Road Concreting with Drainage of Road Network at Transitional Shelter, Cluster G” in Marawi by DPWH-Region 10.

Based in La Trinidad, Benguet, KVC Construction holds a “B” license with a primary classification under General Building, according to PCAB data as of February 2018. In 2017, however, it held an “A” license, suggesting that its licensed had been downgraded.

KVC is one of the top contractors in Benguet — No. 7 of 97 firms that had won projects there, according PCIJ’s analysis of DPWH awarded contracts data from 2001 to 2017. KVC had implemented a total of P184 million in the province. Nationwide, the company bagged a total of P1.8 billion worth of contracts during the same period, data show.

As for SMA Builder, it is also a “B” license-holder with PCAB, with a primary classification under General Engineering. An analysis of DPWH data shows that it clinched more than P64 million worth of projects in Region 10 and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Republic Act no. 4566, also known as the Contractor’s License Law, provides that no contractor shall engage in the business of contracting without first having secured a PCAB license to conduct business. A contractor’s classification, meanwhile, refers to the area of operation that it can engage in based on the technical experience of its sustaining technical employee.

The “B” licenses of SMA and KVC indicate that the firms’ stockholders’ equity must be at least P4.5 million. A “B” license also means that a contractor must have completed a single project worth more than P10 million to P50 million. The allowable range of contract cost for a “B” license holder is up to P100 million.

Two for the Adiongs

But another political family appears to be connected to yet another contractor that won a Marawiehabilitation project: the Adiongs.

M.M.A. Achiever, which has Mary Ann Adiong-Gener listed as its general manager in award notices, won contracts for two Marawi road projects, one worth P12.5 million and the other P69.4 million.

The first is the “Road Concreting with Drainage of Road Network at Transitional Shelter, Area 6, Marawi City” awarded in November 2017..

The other project, a joint venture with Ren Ren Trading & Construction Services, is for the “Concreting of Marawi-Kapai-Tagoloan Road, Tagoloan Section, Lanao del Sur, K1590+250- K1596+000.” Based in ARMM, RenRen Trading & Construction Services hold a “C” license with PCAB and is managed by Ayobkhan Lawi Sumandar.  A “C” license means the holder has at least P3 million in equity and has completed a single project worth at most P10 million.

Both road projects were awarded through public bidding; M.M.A. Achiever won because it gave the lowest calculated and responsive bid in each.

The authorized managing officer of M.M.A. Achiever Construction and Development Corp. is Amer Guindolongan Rakim, according to PCAB data as of February2018. Aside from being identified as the firm’s general manager, Mary Ann Adiong-Gener, is also its “contact person,” according to the award notice abstracts published by PhilGEPS.

Two firms named M.M.A. Achiever Construction and Development Corp. are found in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s online archives. The first, registered in 2004, had its license revoked. But its primary license includes the names of Lanao del Sur Vice Governor Mamintal A. Adiong Jr., Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Ansaruddin A. Adiong, and Bedjoria A. Adiong.

The second firm, which was formed in 2012, is currently registered with the SEC.According to its 2014 general information sheet or GIS, M.M.A. Achiever Construction and Development Corp.’s stockholders include Bedjoria Adiong (board chair), Amer Rakim (president), Samia Sandra Adiong (board member), Jasnia Adiong (board member), Hariza Alonto (treasurer), Juraira Alonto (board member), and Grace Adiong (board member).

Although not an incorporator, Mary Ann Adiong-Gener is identified as the company’s chief executive officer in the company’s 2014 GIS, the latest available in SEC.

Adiong-Gener is reportedly a staff at the provincial government of Lanao del Sur. She has been noted to have attended a Bangon Marawi event in 2017 to represent Vice Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. A 2009 news report also identified a Mary Ann Gener as head of the Armm liaison office in Manila.

Politics is family

The Adiongs have held various positions in government in Lanao del Sur for decades.

The vice governor, Mamintal Jr., is the son of former Lanao del Sur governor Mamintal Adiong Sr. and the province’s incumbent Gov. Bedjoria Soraya Alonto Adiong. Mamintal Jr. was Lanao del Sur governor from 2007 to 2016.

Mamintal Jr.’s brother, current congressman Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong, was former Armm regional vice governor and Department of the Interior and Local Government-Armm secretary. Another brother, Zia Alonto Adiong, is Lanao del Sur’s 1st District assemblyman.

Mamintal Jr.’s previous profile in the League of Provinces in the Philippines website said that he once assumed the office-in-charge provincial engineer position and later became provincial engineer of Lanao del Sur. A civil engineer, Mamintal Jr. had also served as chief executive officer of M.M.A. Construction and Development Corp, according to his profile.

In addition, the profile said, he was president of the Road Engineering Association of the Philippines, board member of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, and held “chairmanship of the board for M.M.A. Achiever.”

PCIJ sent request letters and placed calls to several Adiong family members and associates: Lanao del Sur Gov. Bedjoria Adiong, her chief of staff Soraya Hedjara Macarambon, Vice Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr., Amer Guindolongan Rakim, Mary Ann Adiong-Gener, and Assemblyman Zia Adiong. Only Zia Adiong and Soraya Hedjara Macarambon have so far replied, both via e-mail.

“I apologize for getting back to you late,” said Zia Adiong in his e-mailed reply. He continued that as far as he knows, “MMA has indeed secured the said roads but only after having participated in public bidding following the legal requirements set by R.A. 9184.” He also said, however, that “the Marawi-Kapai-Tagoloan road started its construction years before the Marawi Siege.”

“I believe the award given by the Bids and Awards Committee is above board,” said Zia Adiong. “Documents on the said project are available in the said committee.”

A general question about the whether or not his family members have interest in M.M.A. Construction drew this reply from the Armm assemblyman: “If you’re referring to Gov. Adiong & Vice Gov. Adiong, MMA is not owned by them as they have long divested their interest in the said construction company even prior to the construction of the Marawi-Tagloan Roads and the projects connected with Bangon Marawi Programs.”

He added, “I was told that MMA has its officers and this is run by the board. Ms. Mary Gener used to be a general manager but I cannot speak for the company for MMA has its own officers and board.”

On whether the road projects pose a potential conflict of interest for the Adiongs, he replied, “I really cannot speak on behalf of MMA because I’m neither an officer nor member of its board. What I can say is that the current Gov and Vice Gov have already been out of MMA and the construction firm has participated on projects strictly following the rules and regulations of the Awards and Bids Committee in lieu with RA 9184.”

The e-mailed reply from Gov. Bedjoria Adiong’s chief of staff, Soraya Macarambon, echoed much of Zia Adiong’s answers. In part, Macarambon said the governor and vice governor had both “long divested their interest” in M.M.A. She also said that Mary Ann Adiong-Gener may no longer be the firm’s general manager “as I heard there (were) some changes in its officers.”

“As to the matter about MMA’s winning contract in the same province and efforts made to avoid conflict of interest, I really could not speak for and in behalf of MMA obviously because I am not its spokesman,” wrote Soraya Macarambon. “However, suffice it to state that all projects in our province have passed through a tedious process of public biddings pursuant to RA 9184. Under the law, any construction companies including MMA may participate in public biddings.” (Karol Ilagan and Malou Mangahas with additional research by Karol Cruz, Kreizel Bojero, and John Antiquerra, PCIJ)

A THIRD political clan may also have ties to yet another contract who was awarded a contract for transitory shelters in Marawi: the Umpas.

Last October, Golden Gate Construction landed a P42.1-million contract for the “Pre-Fabricated Shelter-Package 1, Supply and Installation of Pre-Fabricated Shelter including Civil, Electrical and Sanitary/Plumbing Works for the Transitional Shelter of Marawi Affected Areas – Package 1.” A sole proprietorship, Golden Gate is owned and managed by Al Gandhi Rakiin Umpa, with  business address at Maria Christina Subdivision in Tibanga, Iligan City.

The Umpas are a big political clan in the Lanao provinces. But it is not clear if Al Gandhi Umpa is related to Tingagun A. Umpa, who was dismissed recently from his post as DPWH assistant secretary for Armm Operations and Special Projects.

Tingagun Umpa, a civil engineer by profession, hails from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte and has reportedly held various positions at national agencies and local government units in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte.

Interestingly, until President Duterte nudged him to resign two weeks ago due to alleged corruption, Tingagun Umpa had represented DPWH in the seven-person selection committee of Task Force Bangon Marawi that will decide on the contractor of projects in the ground-zero or the “most affected areas” of Marawi City.

Golden Gate won the P42.1-million contract from NHA through the negotiated procurement mode, according to award notice abstracts posted by Philgeps.

By law, government agencies are required to procure goods and services through public and competitive bidding. Negotiated procurement is only allowed under certain situations. For Marawi, Section 53.2 of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations or IRR of R.A. No. 9184 states that negotiated procurement shall be allowed “(i)n case of imminent danger to life or property during a state of calamity, or when time is of the essence arising from natural or man-made calamities or other causes where immediate action is necessary to prevent damage to or loss of life or property, or to restore vital public services, infrastructure facilities and other public utilities.”

PCAB records as of 2018 also show that Golden Gate has a “B” license under the primary classification of General Building. Golden Gate is allowed to carry out government projects until June 30, 2019.

An award notice abstract shows that Golden Gate previously won a P5.9-million contract for the “Construction of 1-Unit Covered Court/Multi-Purpose Center located at Iligan Bay Vista Village, Brgy. Dalipuga, Iligan City.” The project was implemented by NHA in 2017.

Project delays

Golden Gate’s work on the Marawi transitional shelters, however, has not gone smoothly. Last October, news reports said Golden Gate had been blamed for the unexplained delays in the construction of pre-fabricated shelters in Barangay Sagongsongan in Marawi City where the government had planned to build 1,200 housing units on an 11-hectare property.

NHA had reportedly chosen five contractors, including Golden Gate, to work simultaneously at the site.. The delayed delivery of cement and steel bars from Davao City, and a dispute with an alleged Korean company investor in Golden Gate had tied up the project.

A Golden Gate worker interviewed by local media was quoted as saying, “Some workers have gone home because of delayed salaries. There have also been delays in the delivery of construction materials.”

The project, a BAC resolution showed, was originally awarded to a joint venture between Golden Gate and Mando Winia Construction Corp., but Mando Winia declined the award. Golden Gate could not continue the project then unless the requirement for the Aitech accreditation is met. The bidding thus failed. (Aitech stands for “Accreditation of Innovative Technologies for Housing.”)

In lieu of the failure of bidding, the BAC invited proponents to present a memorandum of undertaking that they are legally and financially capable to undertake the project with the required technology, under emergency cases.

Golden Gate then made a representation that it had secured a special arrangement with Kwang Steel, an Aitech accredited proponent to supply the required shelter materials.

Next, the BAC invited Golden Gate, Inquina Development Corp, and Paligid Development Corp. to submit proposals. Only Golden Gate submitted a bid and later won the project.

PCIJ found two other NHA contracts for transitional-shelter projects in Marawi, based on award notice abstracts posted by Philgeps online. These two were awarded to Excelsius Engineering Services, which is based in Diliman, Quezon City and owned by a Nilo A. Hernandez. PCIJ, however, has not found information linking Excelsius to politicians.

A “B” licensed contractor, Excelsius Engineering Services won contracts for these projects:

• Marawi Shelter-Package 3, Supply and Installation of Transitory Shelter in Marawi City under Modified Design and Build Contract Package 3 worth P41.7 million; and
• Marawi Shelter-Package 2, Supply and Installation of Transitory Shelter in Marawi City under Modified Design and Build Contract Package 2, P49.4 million.

Got deals, no docs

An eighth company, Eddmari Construction, had apparently also secured contracts to build transitional shelter units in Marawi, according to a PCIJ source. But no records covering these transactions have been disclosed by the NHA, and none could be found on Philgeps either.

Eddmari is a top NHA contractor. In 2017 alone, it implemented at least P962 million worth of projects covered by just three contracts. It is No. 9 out of 325 companies that won contracts in NHA, PCIJ analysis of Philgeps data show.

A triple-A contractor, Eddmari is based in San Luis, Pampanga and is owned by an Edgardo A. Sagum.

Officials of Task Force Bangon Marawi, as well as a report of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) on Nov. 16, 2017, named Eddmari Construction as one of the contractors of the project in Barangay Sagonsongan.

PIA wrote that in the area, “there are three contractors building transitional houses, namely Excelsius, Golden State (sic) Construction, and Eddmari Construction.”

PIA also named other contractors who had been “granted to work on land development of the site” as “MMA/Achiever, Fiat Construction, City Government of Marawi, Al-Hussein Construction, and Kouzbary Builders.”

Yet again, no documents on the notices and award of bids for these other company names could be found on the much-touted “transparency” websites of the NHA, DPWH, PhilGEPS, and the local governments of Marawi City and Lanao del Sur.

Four NHA contracts

PCIJ requested NHA General Manager Marcelino P. Escalada Jr. for more information on all the contracts that NHA had so far awarded under Marawi’s rehabilitation program.

Escalada e-mailed a list dated May 21, 2018 from the NHA’s Mindanao Management Office that showed only three contracts awarded to two contractors, and a fourth contract that named the “City Government of Marawi” as contractor. No records on the fourth contract appear on Philgeps or the website of the Marawi City government, however.

The four NHA contracts are:

• A contract worth P42,072,597.80 awarded to Golden Gate to build 265 shelter units originally, but which had been revised to 204 units, all supposedly completed. The contract was bidded out on Sept. 29, 2017, awarded on Oct. 3, but the notice to proceed was issued only on Nov. 29 last year. A total of 198 units in the project site are now occupied, from a target of 197 units for occupancy.
• A contract worth P49,361,405.85 awarded to Excelsius Engineering to construct an original 309 shelter units but which had been revised to 292 units, all “completed.” The contract was bidded out on Oct. 3, 2017, awarded on Oct. 18, and the notice to proceed issued on Nov. 21. NHA said 93 of the 102 units ready for occupancy are now occupied.
• A second contract for Excelsius Engineering worth P41,693,614.65 for the construction of 261 shelter units originally, but revised to only 219 units. The bidding was conducted also on Oct. 3, 2017, the notice of award issued on Oct. 18, and the notice to proceed, on Nov. 29, 2017. NHA said that 205 of the target 215 units are now actually occupied.
• The “City Government of Marawi” was listed by NHA as the “contractor” of a fourth ongoing project worth P53.6 million. NHA said that this involved the construction of 335 shelter units, all “completed.” The fund for the project, the agency said, “was transferred to Marawi City LGU.” Only 188 of the 248 target units in the project site are now occupied but NHA said that the “schedule for the occupancy of the remaining units is set to (go) full blast after Ramadan.” The NHA report does not show when and to which contractor the Marawi City government bidded out and awarded this contract.

These four transitory shelter projects, all located in Marawi’s Barangay Sagonsongan, cover a total of 991 units now “completed,” from an original target of 1,170 units but which NHA said had been revised to only 1,150 units.

As of the May 21, 2018 date of NHA’s report, only 684 units — out of 762 units ready for occupancy — are now “occupied.” (Karol Ilagan and Malou Mangahas with additional research by Karol Cruz, Kreizel Bojero, and John Antiquerra, PCIJ)