THE contractor behind the stalled P65 million ‘Mega Health Center’ in Macanhan, Carmen, has halted its operations, claiming the city government failed to settle its initial billing because it ran out of funds.
Nurben Engineering and Contractor Inc. withdrew from the project after allegedly waiting two months for payment that never arrived.
In an interview Wednesday, Nov. 19, over iFM-RMN-dxCC, Engr. Benjamin Hamid, the firm’s sole proprietor, said the billing delay forced the company to stop work on the project.
“May structure kami doon. When we submitted our billing, umabot po nang two months, hindi kami na-releasan nang bayad,” Hamid said.
Hamid cited the Government Procurement Reform Act (Republic Act 9184) which he claims allowed him to pause work if they have completed more than 10% of a project without payment. However, under Section 42.4 of RA 9184, the contractor is allowed to suspend work if a billing remains unpaid for more than 45 days.
He also claimed that the City Engineer’s Office confirmed to him that the project had already reached 18% completion.
“Ten percent lang ang nakuha namin, so sila ang may utang sa amin. Hindi kami ang may utang sa kanila. Sobra pa ang trabaho na binigay namin tapos wala na silang pera,” he said.
Hamid said Mayor Rolando Uy had signed the billing documents certifying the availability of funds, yet the city treasury failed to release the payment.
“Nandoon sa billing namin pinirmahan ni Mayor, availability of funds, tapos hindi kami na-releasan hanggang napudpud ang araw. Anong gagawin namin,” Hamid rhetorically ask, adding that officials eventually told him the city’s funds were depleted.
He insisted that they did not abandon the project and that they have not received a notice of termination. Hamid said they are simply waiting for clear instructions from the mayor.
However, City Information Officer Jade Adecer posted an interview of him with iFM CDO Monday, Nov. 17, categorically saying the ‘Mega Health Center’ is niether a “ghost project’ nor abandoned.
“Dili siya ghost project but ongoing or unfinished project. But, lauman nga padayon na siya karong sunod tuig kay gipa prioritize man na ni mayor labi na kining mga infrastructure projects,” Adecer told iFM CDO.
Adecer added that Mayor Uy will voluntarily step down from office if it is proven that he is involved in even a single ‘ghost project.’
“Dahil wala silang pera, next year pa daw kami bago mabayaran so we have to invoke kung ano naman ’yong counterpart,” Hamid said.
Hamid also refuted allegations that the firm received P18 million. He clarified that the company only received the mobilization fund, which amounted to just over P9 million.
The unfinished facility recently drew national scrutiny after the television program “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” featured it as one of several “abandoned” health projects in the country.
