NINE years after completing the construction of a rehabilitation center, a private contractor may finally receive full payment from the Caloocan City government after the Commission on Audit upheld its compensation claim.
In a five-page Decision, the COA Commission Proper granted the petition of Ponarbuilt Construction and General Merchandise (PCGM) against Caloocan City for the settlement of the P3.38 million balance in its P8.488 million contract.
Records showed the city’s Bids and Awards Committee declared Ponarbuilt Construction as the lowest bidder in 2013, followed by the issuance by then Mayor Enrico Echiverri of a Notice of Award dated January 11, 2013 and a Notice to Proceed on January 16, 2013.
The contract was for the construction of the Yakap Bata Rehabilitation Center, a shelter for children in conflict with the law.
Two months later, the city engineer issued a state of work accomplishment assessing the project completion at 60 percent equivalent to P5.1 million. On March 26, 2013, the city released a check for P4.72 million to the contractor as partial payment to the contractor, net of taxes.
A certificate of completion and certificate of turnover was issued by the Office of the City Engineer on July 30, 2013 attesting that the project has been accomplished according to plans and specifications.
