The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will initiate the organization of the Infrastructure Monitoring and Advisory Group (IMAG) to allow stakeholders participation in the monitoring of delayed infrastructure projects in Zamboanga Sibugay Province.
Yesterday, I issued instructions to the working staff of MinDA to schedule the IMAG organizational meeting in time for the turn-over of the fish drying and vacuum-packing equipment to the dried fish makers of Olutanga town on March 7
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Department of Agriculture will also turn over Bantay Dagat Patrol Boats for the three towns of Olutanga Island, namely Olutanga, Mabuhay and Talusan.
The IMAG which will be headed by the Governor of the province will be composed of representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Office of the District Congressman, Representative of the Construction Companies undertaking the projects, the Mayors of the towns affected, the barangay chairmen, the religious sector, civil society and in the case of areas with organized Indigenous People’s Organizations, the IP groups.
The main focus of the Zamboanga Sibugay IMAG is the P1-billion 29-kilometer Olutanga-Alicia Road which has been the subject of complaints by residents and netizens because of the delay and poor road condition.
The project has a bridge component which will connect the island of Olutanga to the mainland for the first time.
I personally saw the condition of the road project because on the way out of Olutanga Island on Sept. 2 last year, I decided to pass through it.
I wanted to see for myself this road which first gained national attention about 3 years ago when a photo of a jeepney half buried in the mud in the middle of the road was posted on social media.
Today, the road is undergoing construction under the Duterte Administration after having been ignored and neglected by previous governments.
The 29.10-kilometer PR-09, Lutiman-Guicam-Olutanga Road costs P989.16 million funded by the Asian Development Bank.
The condition of the road, however, is still very bad and this is mainly because of obvious incompetence of the construction group undertaking the project.
Evidently poorly equipped for such a huge project, the contractor bulldozed and scraped the whole stretch without building alternate routes.
It effectively turned the whole road project into a “kumunoy” or quick sand where vehicles fall sideways because of the slippery and muddy road.
The IMAG organization on March 7 will allow the contractor to brief local officials on the cause of the delay so that remedies could be instituted.
Institutionalized by the Mindanao Economic and Development Council (MinDA’s former name), the IMAG has been an effective mechanism in monitoring and following up the progress of important infrastructure projects.
When I was President of the Confederation of Mindanao Governors and League of Mayors in early 2000, I chaired the IMAG Mindanao and succeeded in fast-tracking key projects in the region.
The IMAG will also be organized in other provinces where key projects of government are being undertaken to ensure the completion on schedule.
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!
(Photos were taken on Sept. 2, 2020 by the Media Team of the Mindanao Developmet Authority.)
More Stories
Trump Presidency Boon To Philippine Agriculture
Mindanao Fruit Fest Scheduled Sept. 2025
DA, MinDA, LGU! MinDA Targets Tribal Areas For Highland Rice Farming