The Regional Development Council VIII – Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RDC VIII-RPMC) recently visited the Samar State University (SSU) Catbalogan and Basey campuses as part of the first batch of Field Monitoring cum Validation for the 2nd Quarter 2021.
The monitoring team inspected the construction of the SSU Gymnasium, Science and Technology, Research and Development Laboratory Building and the five-storey CAS Academic Building at the Catbalogan Campus; and the rehabilitation of the Multi-Purpose Building and Sports Facilities in SSU’s Basey Campus.
Inspection of the site showed that the Science and Technology, Research and Development Building in SSU-Catbalogan and the construction and rehabilitation of the Multi-Purpose Building and Sports Facilities in SSU-Basey were close to completion with progress standing at 95.03% and 90.00% respectively.
While the Science and Technology, Research and Development Building in SSU-Catbalogan is already 95.03% completed, completion of remaining works in the punch list is taking too much time hence a re-issuance of the punch list will be done indicating a specific date of completion
The punch list is a list of remaining works to be done before a project can be declared substantially completed.
Meanwhile, SSU is closely coordinating with the contractor for the construction and rehabilitation of the Multi-Purpose Building and Sports Facilities in SSU-Basey to facilitate contract closure and ensure compliance of the contractor to the punch list. SSU is also coordinating with the Municipality of Basey to settle any issues on lot ownership.
On the other hand, the Completion of SSU Gymnasium and the five-storey CAS Academic Building in the Catbalogan Campus have hit significant roadblocks.
Construction on the completion of the SSU Gymnasium is close to termination due to the project contractor’s inability to finish the project as scheduled. Ztatik Marketing and Engineering Services, the project contractor, has already been issued an order to show cause on why the contract should not be terminated.
Physical accomplishment of the five-storey CAS Academic Building, meanwhile, is only is at 75.5%. The contractor, DUMDUMA Construction & Trading Corporation, has already requested for time extension which is currently on process. SSU has requested a catch-up plan and asked to be equipped with project implementation monitoring tools such as Gantt Charts, S-curve, Programme Evaluation Review Technique – Critical Path Method (PERT CPM), Manpower Distribution Table, Equipment Distribution Table and Monthly Cash Flows.
The RPMC Monitoring Team also visited the construction of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Office Building in Brgy. Diit, Tacloban City. Accomplishment of the Php197 million construction project stands at 51.88%, behind the target completion of 54.86% resulting to a negative 2.98% slippage. The implementing agency, the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), was advised by the Team to issue a memorandum to the contractors requiring them to post the prescribed monitoring tools in the project site within two days, for PFDA’s reference in closely monitoring accomplishments. The contractors, a joint venture between Pacific Summit Construction Group Inc. and Pinnacle Land Development, Inc., is now on their 4th time extension with a revised contract duration of 806 calendar days from the original 506 calendar days.
Results of the monitoring will be presented to the Regional Project Monitoring Committee during its 2nd Quarter Meeting this year so that the body can recommend appropriate actions to address the issues faced by these projects.
Article and Photos by: Knulp Aseo, DRD and Ana Rose Magdalaga, PMED
