BY PETER J. G. TABINGO

POOR barangays and agricultural communities were identified as priority beneficiaries when project management offices (PMOs) were told to draw criteria for selection of bridge sites.

The Department of Public Works and Highways gave priority to the bridge projects’ impact on "development of economically and socially depressed areas and in support of agricultural development."

The Department of Interior and Local Government, for its part, set premium on areas covered by the Agrarian Reform Communities Development Program and the Regional Agri-Industrial Growth Centers.

Other standards considered were the urgency of repair or replacement, volume of traffic, and links to higher category roads. The latter means national and provincial roads were supposed to take precedence over municipal or barangay roads.

During implementation, however, both agencies did not observe the criteria they themselves set.

The Commission on Audit reported that diversion of bridges to other areas was rampant, with hundreds constructed outside the project scope.

According to the accomplishment report of the Tulay ng Pangulo sa SZOPAD (Special Zones of Peace and Development), 210 out of 593 bridges constructed – more than two in every three – were diverted to other areas outside of the zone.

Zamboanga-Sibugay, Agusan del Sur and Misamis Oriental proved to be favorite destinations of bridges gone astray, landing 67, 50 and 41, respectively.

Metro Manila, specifically excluded for coverage under the Tulay ng Pangulo sa Barangay, got 10 bridges, of which three remained unusable a year after completion while another three served only minimal traffic.

Congressional Road Bridges I and II were still closed to traffic when the audit team inspected both sites in July 2007, more than a year after they were completed in February 2006.

One end of Culiat Bridge was clogged by squatter shanties during inspection in 2007 although it was completed two and a half years earlier in December 2004.

Austin Bridge in Fairview, Quezon City, was only used by tricycles while steel gates were erected on Santibanez (Quezon City) and Dunhill Bridges (Paco, Manila) which were manned by private security guards.

Under the Austrian-assisted President’s Bridge Program Phase II implemented by the DILG, deviance from the criteria was so widespread that Regions XI, XII and Caraga, which were supposed to get 860 bridges each, ended up with 430, 535 and 305, respectively.

On the other side of the scale, Region X got an extra 490 spans on top of its 860 bridges allocation.

Region VII received 370 bridges more than the 760 that were earmarked to it while Regions VI and VIII had additional 300 and 285 bridges, respectively.

"Validation revealed that a number of bridges were constructed outside the bridge projects’ coverage area with some constructed in places not considered to be badly in need," the COA report noted.

While the ability of local government units to provide counterpart funds was one of the foremost criteria set under all projects, this was often ignored during implementation, further worsening installation problems.

"As a result, construction of a number of bridges was not started or completed though bridging materials were already released to the concerned LGUs," auditors noted.

Materials delivered way back in 2002 for Bacayao Bridge in Pangasinan were found stocked in a private warehouse during an inspection in July 2007. Several key parts were missing or looted; hence completion is now doubtful.

Tanglaw Bridge in Davao del Norte was found unfinished and abandoned during ocular check on Oct. 22, 2007. The team was informed that some of the materials were used in a detour bridge in another province.

Modules for Sabangan Bridge in Sinait, Ilocos Sur, released in July 2005 are now rusted, partially covered by earth and grass. This after P500,000 was spent to haul the materials from Visayas and Mindanao depots.

The same status was reported for the Pagsanaan Bridge in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur; Biloca-Dariwdiw in Batac, Ilocos Sur; Arimit and Masi/Baset Bridges in Ilocos Norte; and 18 other sites in Northern Luzon and the Visayas.

DILG officials blamed LGUs for allegedly misrepresenting availability of funds but COA pointed out that procedures required verification before release of bridge materials.