THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing the help of third party auditors to help check anomalies in farm-to-market roads, Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said on Tuesday, November 4.
In an interview with ANC’s Headstart, Tiu Laurel said help is needed given the huge number of road projects nationwide. Army engineers were also tapped to verify status of farm-to-market road projects, he added.
“We’re preparing budget to hire credible third party auditors, ginamamit ng blue chips companies natin to help us. Kasi ang dami ng mga kalye natin, kung P30 billion almost 2,500 projects ‘yan eh. We need everybody’s help,” he said.
Tiu Laurel also said the DA would release a “menu” of different prices for different road projects depending on difficulty, adding that the current system was flawed.
“Kung flat lang diretso, baka P10 million per kilometer, pero kung nasa bundok ka with slope gradient of 10 percent, meron ka pang slope protection na konti tsaka drainage, baka P15 million talaga ‘yan o baka P18 million pa,” the agri chief said.
He added: “Gagawa kami ng presyo, kung saan ka pumasok, ‘yan ang presyo mo, tamang presyo.”
Reforms are also being studied, he said, with the possibility of more companies, even international firms’ participation in road projects.
“There’s a lot of good contractors and reputable, even if we have to invite international companies, if it’s worth their while, because the sooner we build these roads there will be benefit ang laki ng benepisyo talaga,” he said.
A bigger budget for the department, as well as for the farm-to-market road projects, will benefit farmers, whose biggest challenge include irrigation and road connectivity, Tiu Laurel said.
Tiu Laurel earlier met with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to discuss irregularities they found in some projects including those in Davao Occidental and Zamboang City.
The DA and the DPWH are also set to meet with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to refer their findings for further investigations. (ABS-CBN News)
