Japanese stalling on P21-b expressway
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority yesterday called on the Japanese contractors of the P21-billion Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to step up their work to be able to meet the deadline for completion of the project.
The bases agency urged the contractors to bring in modern equipment and deploy additional resources as stipulated in their contract. It directed the contractors to improve their performance to make up for lost time. The agency warned them the contracts could be rescinded if they incur a negative slippage of 15 percent or more.
Project spokesman Robert Gervacio, program manager for operational support services, pointed out that as of last Feb. 7, the contractors have had a combined negative slippage of 8.31 percent for both Package 1 (Subic to Clark) and Package 2 (Clark to Tarlac) of the project.
Earlier, BCDA president and chief executive Narciso Abaya assured the public of the project’s completion by year-end, although work on the 93.7-km project was somewhat delayed. “There is still time to catch up with project construction works.”
“We want our people to enjoy the traveling comfort and safety provided by the expressway which is expected to speed up the economic strides of Central Luzon, provide the strategic linkage between the region’s two freeports and realize our vision of hosting the no. 1 logistics hub in Asia,” Abaya said, referring to both Subic and Clark freeports.
The Kajima-Obayashi-JFE Engineering-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. consortium is working on Package 1, while the Hazama-Taisei-Nippon Steel joint venture is building Package 2 of the proposed expressway.
The lack of equipment and other operational concerns were contained in a letter sent as early as February last year where Abaya apprised Tokyo-based Kajima president Mitsuyo Nakamura about the disturbing situation at the project site.
Similar letters were also sent to Hazama president Junichi Shimmyo, advising the contractor to strictly adhere to the provisions of their contract and faithfully implement catch-up plans so that work on the expressway could be finished according to target dates.
In spite of these repeated admonitions, the Japanese contractors failed to upgrade their heavy equipment, representing non-compliance to a contract provision, mandating that 50 percent of the equipment to be used should be Japan-made and brand- new. BCDA field engineers reported that most of the machines, owned by local sub-contactors, were antiquated and inefficient, and often stalled.
The BCDA officials shrugged off allegations that right-of-way issues are delaying work on the expressway, saying it’s a minor problem that cannot derail the project.
Major problems cited by BCDA engineers that have caused the slippage were delayed start and slow progress of major civil works such as bridge installation, drainage and underpass structures; inability to mobilize required resources and equipment; lack of coordination among and poor supervision of sub-contractors. Manila Standard Today
The bases agency urged the contractors to bring in modern equipment and deploy additional resources as stipulated in their contract. It directed the contractors to improve their performance to make up for lost time. The agency warned them the contracts could be rescinded if they incur a negative slippage of 15 percent or more.
Project spokesman Robert Gervacio, program manager for operational support services, pointed out that as of last Feb. 7, the contractors have had a combined negative slippage of 8.31 percent for both Package 1 (Subic to Clark) and Package 2 (Clark to Tarlac) of the project.
Earlier, BCDA president and chief executive Narciso Abaya assured the public of the project’s completion by year-end, although work on the 93.7-km project was somewhat delayed. “There is still time to catch up with project construction works.”
“We want our people to enjoy the traveling comfort and safety provided by the expressway which is expected to speed up the economic strides of Central Luzon, provide the strategic linkage between the region’s two freeports and realize our vision of hosting the no. 1 logistics hub in Asia,” Abaya said, referring to both Subic and Clark freeports.
The Kajima-Obayashi-JFE Engineering-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. consortium is working on Package 1, while the Hazama-Taisei-Nippon Steel joint venture is building Package 2 of the proposed expressway.
The lack of equipment and other operational concerns were contained in a letter sent as early as February last year where Abaya apprised Tokyo-based Kajima president Mitsuyo Nakamura about the disturbing situation at the project site.
Similar letters were also sent to Hazama president Junichi Shimmyo, advising the contractor to strictly adhere to the provisions of their contract and faithfully implement catch-up plans so that work on the expressway could be finished according to target dates.
In spite of these repeated admonitions, the Japanese contractors failed to upgrade their heavy equipment, representing non-compliance to a contract provision, mandating that 50 percent of the equipment to be used should be Japan-made and brand- new. BCDA field engineers reported that most of the machines, owned by local sub-contactors, were antiquated and inefficient, and often stalled.
The BCDA officials shrugged off allegations that right-of-way issues are delaying work on the expressway, saying it’s a minor problem that cannot derail the project.
Major problems cited by BCDA engineers that have caused the slippage were delayed start and slow progress of major civil works such as bridge installation, drainage and underpass structures; inability to mobilize required resources and equipment; lack of coordination among and poor supervision of sub-contractors. Manila Standard Today
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
5:05 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home