By JUNE S. BLANCO

REP. Erico Aumentado (2 nd District, Bohol) has announced that the concrete paving of the Sagbayan-Inabanga-Danao Road will commence this month. The Manila-based Legaspi Construction Co., the winning contractor, has scheduled the mobilization of its equipment and manpower this week in Nahud, Danao town where it plans to set up its field office and bunkhouse. Aumentado made the announcement after the meeting Tuesday with Public Works and Highways Region 7 Director Pedro Herrera Jr., Project Engr. Rogelio Oracoy, and Bohol 2 nd Engineering District Engr. Gregorio Sayson at the DPWH 7 office in Cebu. Herrera informed Aumentado that Legaspi Construction Project Manager Castañeda and Regional Engr. Orongan inspected already the proposed company field office site in Nahud where a bridge will be constructed as a component of the highway which is a major support infrastructure of the Extreme Adventure Tourism (EAT) Danao Park, the center of adventure tourism in Central Visayas.

The Herrera revelation was validated by Mayor Louis Thomas Gonzaga who the solon had called to verify if indeed Legaspi Construction and a regional engineer went to Nahud to inspect its proposed nerve center of operations. It was agreed during the meeting that the local labourers of Legaspi Construction will be recruited from Sagbayan, Inabanga and Danao thru the recommendation of Mayors Ricardo Suarez Jr., Jose Jono Jumamoy and Gonzaga, respectively. Herrera said he issued the notice to proceed (NTP) to Legaspi Construction as early as the last quarter of 2011 after the company won the bidding conducted at the DPWH central office in Manila. Under the bid terms, the contractor must use a computerized cement batching plant with matching cement paver for the Sagbayan-Inabanga-Danao Road concrete paving work similar to the high tech equipment utilized in the implementation of the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement Project Phase 2 (BCRIP 2) by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co., Ltd. and C.M. Pancho Construction Co.

To recall, the solon had worked for the appropriation of P200 million in the 2011 General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the Sagbayan-Danao-Inabanga Road. The DPWH central office, however, reduced the agency budget for the contract to P189 million for which Legaspi Construction dropped a bid of only about P153 million. This prompted the solon to request DPWH to closely supervise the project in order that the contractor will not resort to substandard work by reason of its very low bid amount. He also requested the three mayors to closely monitor the project to ensure that it will be properly implemented. Besides, Aumentado said, he will always visit the project site, just like what he did in BCRIP 1 and 2 which were implemented during his watch – Phase 1 as congressman, and Phase 2 as governor of Bohol.