WHO'S
TO BLAME? Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera exchange views with Provl Kag. Alfonso
Damalerio II during yesterday's SP session in trying to clarify who should be
responsible in clearing the city drainage from wastewater. Foto: DANNY REYES | | For
having been "remiss" of its duty, Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera yesterday
lambasted the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) First Engineering
District for the unresolved drainage problem in the city.
The
vice governor's reaction followed after a joint committee report presented by
|
Board
Member Alfonso Damalerio II sought the passage of three committee resolutions
in connection with the city drainage problem.Herrera
initially questioned why lawmakers had to resort to the adoption of legislative
measures in solving the drainage issue when the DPWH is "totally to be blamed"
on the matter.
The
Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) committee on environment proposed a resolution in
support to Tagbilaran City Council resolution requesting DPWH Sec. Hermogenes
Ebdane not to accept the turn-over of the San Jose Street Drainage System Project
unless its contractor complies with three commitments made through the DPWH First
Engineering District.
In
the city council's resolution, the commitments made by the project's contractor
Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) were to plug the sewer connections
from some 40 houses and commercial buildings along CPG Avenue, prohibit illegal
drainage connections and clear the city drainage from septic wastes.
Hanjin
and its consultant is scheduled to turn-over the drainage improvement project
next month.
|
| | Similarly,
a second resolution of the SP committee on public works requested the DPWH main
office and the Philippine-Japan Highways Loan (PJHL) agency to request Hanjin
"to undertake immediate measures in cutting the illegal connections of the
CPG Avenue rain drainage system."
A
third resolution was submitted for passage by the SP committee on health and sanitation
requesting the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in coordination
with the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) to conduct a periodic water
sampling particularly on the seawaters off Tagbilaran Strait being the area directly
affected by the city drainage project's waste discharge. |
"SLEEPING
ON THE JOB"
Herrera
pointed out that Hanjin should not have been left on its own to allow the drainage
connections coming from business establishments and houses.
The
vice governor cited this inefficiency of the DPWH-District 1 as a classic example
of a government agency "sleeping on its job".
"The
DPWH-District 1 has supervisors and project engineers that should have kept an
eye of the project during its construction phase," Herrera stressed.
According
to the vice governor, the DPWH is mandated to supervise government projects and
check all public constructions.
"Most
of the time the DPWH engineers should have been there at the project site,"
he added.
Herrera
said the illegal drainage taps could not have been done without the knowledge
of DPWH supervisors.
"[This]
just goes to show they are remiss of their duties," he said.
The
vice governor indicated that any modifications on the drainage system project
would just entail additional costs.
"That's
why we are losing so much government funds," he said that the drainage project
"should not have become a concern if right from the start DPWH made sure
the contractor followed the program of works and the specifications of the project."
"Now
we are caught in a difficult position as the contractor is set to turnover the
drainage facility soon," Herrera said.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Among
the recommendations given by the joint committee meeting of the SP committees
on environment, health and public works were to support the city government's
move not to accept the project's turnover if the drainage is not cleared of wastewater.
The
committees agreed to request Hanjin to undertake the disconnection of drainage
taps and conduct regular water sampling at the Tagbilaran bay area. | 
