No overpricing: DSWD, IOM bunkhouses differ in design

This refers to Nico Alconaba’s news article titled “Bunkhouse costs surprise survivors” (Inquirer, 2/3/13).

We would like to thank the Inquirer for the article; it gave us the opportunity to inform the public about the bunkhouses of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Davao Oriental, and to explain the transactions relative to the project. This is part of good governance, transparency and accountability.

However, we would like to clarify that the DSWD bunkhouses, which will serve as temporary shelters for families left homeless by Typhoon “Pablo,” are not overpriced as compared to the bunkhouses being built by other groups, specifically the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Based on a comparative matrix, the cost estimates made by both the DSWD and IOM are more or less the same. The DSWD bunkhouse costs P550,000 while an IOM bunkhouse costs P259,653. The difference in total cost is mainly due to varying design features. The DSWD bunkhouse has a bigger floor area,  thicker floor slabs (one inch thicker), more roofing (159 GI sheets while IOM’s  has 96 GI sheets), a pathway, wash areas and a kitchen; the IOM bunkhouse, on the other hand, has no provisions for a pathway, electrical wirings, kitchen and concrete wash, and toilet and bathroom.

There is also no “double payment” to soldiers who helped in the construction of the bunkhouse in San Rafael, Cateel. In lieu of the voluntary service of 20 AFP Engineering Brigade soldiers, the DSWD provided them food allowance, not salaries, in the amount of P100 per day per person. Brigade officials acknowledged receipt of P30,000 which was released in two tranches—the first tranche in the amount of P20,000 on Dec. 15, 2012, and the second tranche in the amount of P10,000 on Dec. 30, 2012. Copies of the receipts and names of soldiers are in the DSWD regional office in Davao City. With the soldiers volunteering their services, the department saved P17,465 in labor.

With regard to the allegation that the DSWD saved on cement as the bunkhouse in San Rafael was built on top of a concrete basketball court, we would like to stress that the materials are kept in the central warehouse in Poblacion, Cateel. The DSWD staff assigned in Cateel are keeping the inventory and utilization report of the delivered construction materials. This document is subject to final inspection and audit by the DSWD fiscal staff.

We would like to emphasize that all of the regional office’s transactions and activities relative to the construction of the bunkhouses are supported by documents which are submitted to the Commission on Audit for post-audit.

Rest assured that should there be findings of irregularities, the DSWD management will deal with these accordingly, upholding the tenets of full accountability and transparency.

—CORAZON JULIANO-SOLIMAN, secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development