No warranty for Angeles City’s infrastracture projects

The Commission on Audit (COA), in its annual audit report for 2011, showed that the City Government did not secure warranties for its completed infrastructure projects, according to the camp of Pampanga Representative Carmelo Lazatin (first district).

Section 6 of the COA Report, dated June 18, 2012 and signed by COA regional director Winnie Encallado, stated that the City Government did not secure a warranty for its completed infrastructure projects, therefore “denying the city of adequate protection against any structural defects/failure within the warranty period.”
According to the COA report, the lack of warranty resulted in the city being “deprived of its right to enforce the responsible contractor to undertake the correction/repair of any structural defect and/or failure in projects that may occur within the warranty period commencing on the date the project was finally accepted.”

Not securing a warranty for infrastructure projects is in violation of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as Government Procurement Reform Act, particularly, Section 62.2.3.

Section 62.2.3 of the Revised IRR of RA 9184 states that for the procurement of infrastructure projects, government units should secure a warranty from the contract awardee from the final acceptance of the project up to a period of 15 years for permanent structures, five years for semi-permanent structures, and two years for other structures, except in the case of force majeure (e.g. natural disasters)

by: Reynaldo Navales

Pamintuan branded as 'trying hard'

Mayor Francis "Blueboy" Nepomuceno branded comebacking mayor Edgardo "EdPam" Pamintuan as "trying hard" following latter's challenge for a public debate.

“He is now desperate and he is aiming for a lucky punch. But I will not give that chance. Noong 1998, ibinigay ko pa lamang ang kaliwa ko pero natalo siya. Ngayon dahil ‘trying hard’ siya, ibibigay ko na ang kanang kamay ko,” said Nepomuceno.

“With all the issues concocted in a poison letter crafted by one of my rivals, there is no need to debate,” he added.

The mayor said: “Elections is not won by who is the best debater. In Angeles City, the mayoralty is won by solid performance, which includes visible projects and programs for community development.”

“He can salivate all he wants in his vaunted eloquence but that will not erase his bleak performance in his two terms. I am building a sports center and he has not even constructed a waiting shed in his six-year administration,” added Nepomuceno.

He furthered: “This debate thing, like debate challenges hurled against presidential frontrunners Manny Villar and Noynoy Aquino by the lesser rivals is a clear attempt at a lucky punch.”

Published in the Sun.Star Pampanga newspaper on April 22, 2010.