No overpricing, no shenanigans in highway project

This refers to the article titled “COA questions Cavite-Metro road project.” (Inquirer, 12/29/11) The project referred to is the Daang Hari-SLEx Link Road Project (DHSLRP) of the Alabang-Sto. Tomas Development Inc. (Asdi), a joint subsidiary of the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) and National Development Co. (NDC).

The reported issues have already been responded to by Asdi. On the matter of public bidding requirement, the advance works that were handled by PNCC, the majority shareholder of Asdi, were covered by a contract with clear guidance from the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), the statutory counsel of both the PNCC and the NDC. The awarded contract included services for the detailed engineering design of the project’s main expressway alignment, inter-connection with SLEx, toll facilities, local road realignments and two overpasses. There was no overpricing; the project’s budgetary estimates were based on industry standards by the Asdi, NDC and PNCC as early as 2006. Contrary to the insinuations of wrongdoing involving this project as suggested by the article, I would like to emphasize categorically that there was none.

The DHSLRP is a priority project that will economically benefit not only the Laguna-Cavite area but also Metro Manila. When completed, travel time between the Molino, Bacoor, Cavite area and south of Metro Manila would be tremendously reduced, and traffic congestion in the cities of Las Piñas and Muntinlupa would be alleviated. In addition, the Department of Public Works and Highways will pay Asdi the amount of P385 million for advance works that were bidded out and sold for P902 million. The windfall profit for the government is approximately P520 million.

—LUIS F. SISON, president,

Philippine National

Construction Corp. (PNCC)