The sangguniang panlalawigan of Benguet, chaired by vice governor Cresencio Pacalso last week added its voice to a province-wide clamor for the contractor of the P74-million road cut repair and rehabilitation project of the Halsema Highway to fast-track its work.

“The work is very slow and we fear the road cuts may worsen once the typhoon season begins,” said board member Apolinario Camsol.

He said that as indication of how the contractor is proceeding with its work, only one worker doing riprap was observed in one work site.

He added that the contractor appeared to have subcontracted the project to several work crews.

Engr. Dominador Daway, head of Benguet’s 2nd engineering district, told the provincial board that of the total 29 road cuts awarded to Baguio-based R. U. Aquino Construction Company, only seven havebeen completed, 14 sections are ongoing, and eight road cuts still be started.

He said it was the regional office of the DPWH that awarded the project to the contractor since it involved an amount beyond the P50 million his office is authorized to implement.

“But we are monitoring the work since we are a part of the DPWH,” he said.

Board member Juan Nazarro said there appears to be a problem in so far as the treatment of the contractor of his workers is concerned. “That is why laborers come and go.”

He inquired if the slow pace of work could be a ground to cancel the contract.

Daway said this has to undergo a process whereby the contractor is informed of the negative slippage, issued warnings and then asked to explain why the contract should not be rescinded.

“We are currently in the process of determining the rate of slippage,” he added.

Officials of the Benguet Federation of Farmers raised fears that if the road cuts are not repaired, there is fear that the movement of vegetable products from northern Benguet to the market would be affected with the coming of the typhoons. 

Daway said the contractor has been given up to October this year to finish the project.