Archival wants city to have more teeth vs delinquent contractors

Local

FINISH what you start, or pay the city for every day of delay.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. wants contractors to pay up if they fail to deliver flood control projects on time.

Archival, in a press conference on Monday, September 1, clarified that while the city cannot impose penalties by law, contractors can be required to sign undertakings as a condition for permits, pledging to finish projects on time or pay damages to the city if they fail.

“Ang nahitabo karon, wala man gyud tay hold sa mga contractor, muhangyo raman ta. Ang akong gusto, maghimo sila ug undertaking nga kung dili nila mahuman ang project, sila mismo muingon nga mo-pledge sila nga mobayad sa syudad,” the mayor told reporters.

Currently, penalties for delays go straight to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), not the city.

Archival said this leaves City Hall powerless despite being the one managing traffic chaos caused by ongoing works.

Under Archival’s proposal, contractors will be required to commit to clear project deadlines and face daily fines for any delays. They must also post signages that list project costs, the names of contractors, and the expected completion dates.

Additionally, contractors are mandated to deploy trained traffic aides through the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to manage traffic flow around construction areas.

To maintain safety and efficiency, construction zones must be kept clean, and work is expected to be carried out during the designated hours, with a preference for continuous 24/7 operations.

“Kung dili mahuman sa agreed date, dapat naay bayad per day nga i-commit nila. The idea is fairness—kung mo-promise sila, humanon nila, ug kung dili, bayad sila,” Archival said.

The mayor pointed to unfinished roadworks in Banilad as an example of poor accountability.

“Trabahoa lang ni, butangi nalang ni ug espalto. Pero karon naguba gihapon ilang gibuhat. Wala silay liability going sa city,” he said.

Archival admitted some contractors seem to “scrape roads just to spend the budget,” calling such practices unjustifiable.

The push for stricter accountability comes as the city intensifies its flood response. Immediate works include dredging in Tejero starting Wednesday, while long-term plans involve relocating families encroaching on waterways and finalizing a relocation site in Pit-os.

Archival said the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has pledged 450 housing units for affected families once the site is secured.

The city also plans to update its flood control master plan with DPWH and the local Flood and Drainage Council.

Archival earlier ordered a halt on a few of the P751.2 million worth of new DPWH flood projects until deadlines and traffic management schemes are ironed out.

Of the 21 projects scheduled for 2025, some have begun while others remain stalled, including drainage works along Salinas Drive near JY Square and the Talamban–Pit-os corridor.

“The most important thing is the deadlines. If the timetable says 200 days, gusto nako 100 days kay the more mudagan ang iyang number of days, magka anam sakripisyo ang mga tawo,” Archival said.

Meanwhile, Archival welcomed the ongoing Senate inquiry into questionable flood control contracts nationwide, saying it should lead to cases being filed.

“Nanghinaot ta nga sa imbestigasyon naay tawo unta nga makasohan. Sa syudad, ang atong focus mao ang monitoring sa materials ug timelines,” he said.(TGP)