On Tuesday’s (May 14) regular session of the 20th City Council, a representative from AAII report showed a 100-percent completion rate for their pipe-laying project, which the legislators are not convinced.
Third District Councilor Alberto T. Ungab asked AAII to check the Calinan to the Talomo River portion, which still needs repair based on inspection, adding some portions remain unpassable despite being repaired as claimed by AAII.
"In as much as those particular roads that were fixed last year, not even a year [passed] but [the roads] are already broken, there are already cracks, these are already destroyed roads. I don't know how or why, that is why I am asking before if there is a warranty because the other roads are not anymore passable. The roads which you said you have fixed are not anymore passable," Ungab said in a report from the City Information Office.
Ungab challenged the representative from AAII, Director Art Milan, to check the said roads so they would see the state was contrary to their claim.
He said that the road at the boundary of Talomo River and Calinan had not been fixed at all.
This damage, according to Ungab, was noted after the pipe-laying and road repairs were done.
Second District Councilor Javi Campos III also told the AAII representative that they should keep their promise not only to restore roads but to improve them.
"Your lane might have been restored but adjacent roads have been affected due to the delays of the project,” Campos said.
He said the road repairs are needed on the long stretch in Mandug.
Meanwhile, First District Councilor Bonz Andrei Militar also demanded that AAII restore to its original state the stretch of the road from Calinan to Talandang wherein one lane was damaged as it was used as a single lane, while the digging and road restoration under the bulk water project was ongoing, and was delayed for a time.
"As a responsible organization and a partner of communities, the Apo Agua must ensure that the roads are properly restored. If you are indeed genuine to your commitments to ensure that the affected roads, especially those which are in good condition before you destroy them, are restored to their original state or better," Militar said.
Milan, meanwhile, said that they will closely monitor on the issues raised.
He said that they are continuing the conduct of assessment on the status of roads. He added that the roads they have restored have a warranty of one year, so for one year any defects will be rectified.
Milan added that they are closely coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the City Engineer's Office.
He also said that they will continue to assess the roads, although these are subject to wear and tear for being open to vehicular traffic.
City Engineer's Office Representative Engr. Sharon Bonguyan, on the other hand, said they partnered with AAII and DPWH to check on the completion of the road repairs.
She also said that the discussion with AAII and DPWH on May 8, initially mentioned by Milan during the session, involved only the 100 percent completion of the pipe-laying activities.
"While it is true that we had a discussion with the Apo Agua Management and DPWH last May 8, the 100 percent mentioned by Sir Milan was the completion of the pipe-laying activities,” Bonguyan said.
Bonguyan said they have formed a composite team with DPWH to schedule an inspection of finished pipe-laying projects of Apo Agua, however, she said they have yet to apply for a certificate of completion to be issued by either the City Engineer's Office (CEO) or DPWH.
Bonguyan further said that all road restoration projects are accounted for by the CEO and they commit to give priority attention to concerns raised by councilors about the road restoration.
She said the CEO has asked AAII to take action on the clamor of the public posted at the Davao City Reports Portal regarding the damaged roads caused by their pipe-laying activities.
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