COA flags DPWH’s P241-B delayed projects

The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) over delays and inefficiencies in the implementation of locally funded and foreign-assisted infrastructure projects amounting to P138 billion and P103 billion respectively.

- By ELIZABETH MARCELO

“The DPWH was unable to efficiently implement 2,596 locally funded projects with an aggregate cost of P138,227,528,871.99 due to inadequate planning, detailed engineering, supervision, and monitoring, which resulted in delayed completion and non-implementation of various projects contrary to pertinent provisions of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act (RA) 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) and the agreed terms and conditions of the contract,” the COA said in its 2024 annual audit report on DPWH.

The COA said its audit team’s verification and evaluation of the status of the 2,596 locally funded projects implemented by various DPWH regional offices revealed that a majority of the projects remained unfinished while several projects had yet to start as of Dec. 31, 2024.

The locally funded projects included school buildings and farm-to-market roads, according to COA.

The audit breakdown showed that 1,435 projects with total cost of P77.432 billion were “not completed within the specific contract time” while 523 projects amounting to P33.566 billion were suspended due range of factors such as “delays in issuance of necessary permits, presence of site obstructions such as pipelines or structures, and inaccessibility due to terrain conditions.”