• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Mayor Greg Gasataya said Nov. 3 that he has no objection to a COA special audit of all Bacolod City projects funded through loans.
Gasataya said he sees no issue with external agencies expediting the evaluations of city transactions, noting that all regular audit reports are routinely forwarded to the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
He added the city government is currently awaiting a comprehensive evaluation report from the City Engineer’s Office to determine the actual physical completion rate of the delayed legislative building.
Gasataya clarified that the current project carries a bid amount of P515 million, rather than the reported P765 million.
He emphasized that the additional P200-million allocation has not yet undergone bidding or implementation.
Gasataya further noted that out of the total loan entailed by the city, only P300 million has been disbursed, to date, toward the ongoing project.
“I know there are some sectors calling for a special audit on all projects and programs of the city that were financed through a loan, and for me, I am open to it. Perhaps, what we can do at this moment is wait for the report that will be released by the city engineers regarding, first and foremost, the accomplishment rate of the legislative building,” he added.
Gasataya’s statement follows the Bacolod SP’s rejection of Councilor Homer Bais’ proposed resolution seeking a Commission on Audit (COA) probe into the delayed legislative building project during its Oct. 27 regular session. | TMD
