Construction of Cebu City Highways Stands at 80% Complete
Cebu City's recent road paving project, completed not long after the latest election, fell short of its 80% completion goal, according to Councilor Jerry Guardo, head of the Infrastructure Committee.
This shortcoming, Guardo mentioned, was due to the unused 1.2 metric tons of asphalt from the project's budget. invoking the unused asphalt, Guardo declared that it would be redistributed to other barangays (villages) seeking road paving.
The locations slated for asphalt included Apas, Lahug, Kamputhaw, and Banilad. However, the PHP 100 million budgeted for the project is still pending allocation in the Supplemental Budget No. 1 (SB1).
Guardo expressed the need for the allocated funds to be allocated properly during the bidding process. He revealed that the election ban, which ran from March 28 to May 12, prevented bidding and awarding for the projects.
As the administration's term nears its end in June 2025, Guardo emphasized that the responsibility for utilizing the SB1 budget lies with the next administration.
Guardo highlighted the challenges faced during the project's implementation due to a shortage of personnel and only five dump trucks available to them. He expressed concern over the completion of the project, stating, "It's not just a matter of muscle or effort, we just have to manage the equipment we have. Although we have five teams, each team is only provided one truck."
Guardo added that there was still a need to hire more workers to reach full completion. One might wonder if bureaucratic delays, lack of coordination, or unforeseen challenges during implementation were the reasons for the underutilization of the budget. / JPS
Additional Insights:
- Infrastructure Challenges: Metro Cebu projects, including road projects, might face challenges such as construction failures and unfamiliarity with local terrain by project consultants. This could indicate similar issues might affect other Cebu City road projects.
- Governance and Support: The Cebu Provincial Government, under Governor Gwen Garcia, has shown strong support for infrastructure and development projects, often partnering with private entities to ensure successful implementation, suggesting that governance and coordination can play a crucial role in project success.
- Local Initiatives: There are ongoing efforts in Cebu to improve infrastructure, including recent road concreting projects and calls for timely completion of projects, indicating that there is a focus on local infrastructure development.
Although Councilor Jerry Guardo's personal-finance management for the road paving project fell short of the 80% goal, the unused 1.2 metric tons of asphalt could be utilized for budgeting towards personal-finance improvement in other barangays. Guardo also stressed the importance of proper allocation of funds in the Supplemental Budget No. 1 (SB1) for efficient budgeting and successful project execution in Cebu City.
