Watch out for “gift” projects

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The disclosure of Senator Serge Osmeña III that the flyover built by the national government in Mandalagan, Bacolod City was grossly overpriced, should be a clarion call to all residents of cities and municipalities that they should always look out and monitor projects financed by national offices in their areas.

The flyover in Bacolod City was one of the two originally announced by the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to be constructed at two points in the city – one in the south and the other in the north. Local officials initially seemed surprised to be gifted with such high-cost projects when most of them felt the huge amount could be used for more pressing needs of the city.

But it seemed as if the administration then was bent on pursuing the project, and after some time, the north flyover construction began. It has to be admitted that it has eased traffic in the area, and was therefore welcomed by the community.

However, the revelation by Senator Osmeña that TWO flyovers could have been built at the price of that one has shocked both officials and city residents who find the cost atrocious, to say the least.

But that is now water under the bridge – or the flyover, if you will – and even if charges are eventually filed against those responsible for the gross overpricing that Osmeña has pointed out, this will not affect our city officials who had nothing to do with it, except to accept the “gift”, the cost of which, at P360 million, could have built another structure as impressive as the new Government Center of the city.

The moral lesson for all citizens of this country, therefore, is to peer closely not only at locally-funded projects, but especially at nationally-funded ones where they have neither control nor knowledge about sources or disbursements.

For that matter, they should have done this with the recent asphalting and repairing of roads and streets that do not need them, or the installation of expensive tiles on sidewalks that have not improved either their appearance or functions, anyway. They could also look into why the manholes of the main streets were covered during the asphaltings, and are now being “uncovered” to enable the city to dredge the canals and prevent the city from flooding.*