1.) Tied-loan. Ano yon? Meaning pag japanese ang nagpautang, japanese kailangan ang contractor or japanese yong equipment. Eto pa ang isang problem sa maintenance kaya mahal – kasi minsan parts are not locally available. Siyempre kung europe made yong products sa europe mo pa mabibili spare parts. Sadly, maraming projects ang pagkatapos gawin walang budget for maintenance.

2.) Conflicting ang policies ng government at ng lender. Kaya minsan chicken and egg ang drama. Pinakamasakit sa ulo ang right of way acquisition sa infrastructure projects. Kasi sa batas natin, hindi talaga binabayaran ang informal settlers. Kaya kahit may 3 bedrooms ka na bahay kung ikaw ay squatter, hindi ka talaga babayaran ng gov’t. Pero sa ADB hindi pwede yon. Kasi sa kanila kailangan i-compensate talaga ang mga affected people regardless kung squatter.

3.) Kaya lomolobo ang mga loans, kasi kapag delayed ang projects at di nakakapag disburse yong lender, nagpepenalty ang gov’t. Kasi kailangan maidisburse ang loan on specified time-line. Ganun din kapag nagcancel ka ng loan may penalty din. Tapos, yong mga lender na yan matapos ka sabunin during loan review, ayaw rin naman i-cancel yong loan kahit hindi nagpoprogress ang projects.

Teak, dito na sundo ko…to be continued…

1st:

“operational but obsolete” but he did not discuss why especially with the COA findings. The report said Fernando let the equipment deteriorate because the cost of maintaining it outweighed its usefulness.

Eto nga yung point naten – hindi ba nila nakita ang issue na to when they were planning to buy the equipments? Marami syang dadaana before the actual loan, grant and the buying. Me requisition, me RFP, me memorandum of agreement at kung ano anong talakayan.

Question is – ano ang tinalakay nila? Sabi nya BUDGET PROBLEMS daw. Eh ba’t sila bibili pag walang sustaining budget sa mga susunod na years of operation? Ba’t hindi sila naghanap nang funding? Dahil di nila ma-account ang mga pondo???

2nd:

sino ang mag-i-issue nang warning nang 1 a.m.??? as in haller!!! Dapat ang warning na yon was not just a bulletin as kelangan kalabugin mo ang mga bahay bahay! “As early as 1 a.m., there was a warning for Marikina residents to evacuate. The city was not yet flooded at the time,” he told listeners of “MMDA sa GMA,” the agency’s weekly program on radio station dzBB. Pero ang sabi sa news, interestingly, eto na mismo yong araw that Metro-Manila was already submerged in deep floodwaters.

3rd,

he said “another warning was issued at 3 a.m. on the same day.” Anong klaseng warning nga? Baka yung warning na tumatakbo sa TV? Sino naman kaya ang nanonood nang mga oras na yon?

4th finally – the alibi.

“Rather than discussing these technical things, what’s important is to help the residents live normally again,” Fernando said.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20091011-229573/MMDA-Flood-control-system-working

Same story, new media exposure…

Mahalia, this is indeed a post worth pondering on. Lalo na yung mga nakaupo dyan sa pwesto na nagpapalake lang ng pwet at bulsa sa punyemas na road tax.

(last na po to… hahaha!)

Here’s my point.

IEFCOS was a blatant in-your-eyes blunder. Was it by design? Did they used this as a milking cow? Whatever it was, however things happened, whoever were the actors, one thing is clear. This is a very clear example as what ABS-CBN said – neglect, corruption and irresponsibility on the part of these agencies and officials responsible for the project.

Hindi naman po sa pinapagalitan ka namen but that’s what’s missing on your study dahil as you said it “Ako po ay naglagay lamang ng murang alternatibo…” which to me, is equal to saying – “it’s ok to receive foreign grants, apply their in-applicable designs to local conditions, let the machines rot and let’s get another grant.”

Impressed ako dahil you’ve discussed some really excellent points on the need to have one low-cost project, but there was never a discussion on why EFCOS failed, what made it such a bloody failure and what ever happened to those grant monies.

Which means, why would it make sense now to get another grant to make your suggestion a realization if the handling of the funds before for the EFCOS could not be explained, worse, corrected. That’s the flooded issue.

In my opinion, Mahalia’s analysis was correct.

(continuing pa rin po…)

Let me focus on one paragraph you wrote:

As the telemetered systems are financed through loan or grant, the designs are by the foreign consultants using foreign technology adopted locally. The rapid technological evolution has out phased the system within few years of operation. Major components wear out while the parts break down or are stolen in the field. Sustainable operation can not be ensured unless these parts are available. Procurement of the same specification would entail higher price since production stopped and special fabrication from abroad is required. There will be operation gaps until such time budget becomes available and the needed parts are shipped in. Otherwise, the only alternative is to overhaul the system with new technology or abandon it.

What I’m understanding is this:

1.) Telemetered systems are financed through loans and grants. Alright with me. Given that these are loans – babayaran nang mga Pilipino – stringent rules on funding should have been in place. Nakakapanlumo yong COA findings.

2.) Designs are by the foreign consultants using foreign technology. And I’m sure there was a heavy discussion on as to whether or not the design is applicable sa local conditions, right? Kaya nga taranta ako sa news why “maintenance” cost was discussed AFTER THE FACT.

3.) These designs were adopted locally. (It did not say what kind of adaptation. Sinalpak na lang ba? Or merong “tweak” na ginawa.

4.) Number 3 is critical dahil – WAS THERE A STUDY ABOUT IT’S VIABILITY UNDER LOCAL CONDITIONS? Tingin ko wala dahil eto:
5.) Major components daw wear out, parts break down or are STOLEN in the field. Pucha! Pinakilo yung iba!

6.) And here’s the part that gives credence na walang study. Ang sabi “Procurement of the same specs would entail higher price…” Well, eto na yong sinasabi ko na dapat kung me matinong RFP, dun sa RFP pa lang, lumabas na ang issue nang maintenance costs, wear and tear and applicability sa local conditions.

7.) And more to prove na parang this EFCOS was rammed down our throat. Ang sabi… “There will be operation gaps until such time budget becomes available”… saan ka nakakita nang Capital Projects tapos walang sustained budget assistance? Ano yon? Maghihintay na lang nang milagro “sana bigyan tayo nang budget para tumakbo to!”

8.) Kaya the result was… “the only alternative is to overhaul the system with new technology or ABANDON IT”. Eto dapat ang pinag-usapan even before this whole EFCOS came into being. Eto dapat. They should not be discussing this AFTER the fact. NEVER. Dun pa lang sa point nang Purchase Requisition, and then nung they put out the RFP even nung nag-issue nang Memorandum of Agreement. Of course, assumed na naten na all of these were covered right?

(hahaha! hindi pa po ako tapos!)

In your Introduction discussion, about flood mitigation projects, where you claim that these were focused in prioritizing on flood mitigation projects right around the Metropolitan areas, the recent Ondoy tragedy now brings into picture the abnormality of these projects.

We have seen on TV several cause-oriented groups complaining how Sierra Madre mountains are being left out. These mountains, including right around Rizal are extremely important in controlling the flood waters going to Metropolitan Manila. Then again, must I say that when we have already seen on TV the gushing waters.

Clearly, what we’re reading now from the news is that no one wants to take responsibility. I understand that Bayani Fernado said that it was his fault. But he knows that even that admission – the fact remains – where have all the funds gone?!

Early warning systems were built by PAGASA which gives me the reason to believe that the oversight is on them. Supervision is with MMDA and what about DPWH? Bottom line, in all these responsibility juggling – I doubt very much that there aren’t any juggling of funds that happened also.

more…

Continuing…

In your discussion of government strategy, I like the fact that you’ve pointed out very clearly that the government’s thrust on infrastructures left a very meager budget for disaster – although reading far below of your report – you talk about having no budget at all for this EFCOS project.

Again, it’s another open admission of the dysfunctionality in our system. How long ago was that, when we read on the papers that there was going to be an investigation to Ebdane where Miriam Santiago chastised him for disappearing Road Taxes? I’m not convinced that any Senate Investigation will result into something for these road taxes money to re-appear.

Isn’t it interesting? Splashed on the papers are millions of government funds on loans and contracts lost through thieveries yet we don’t have budget on disaster? Worse, some news reports would have it that even Calamity Funds were used for travels?! Mind boggling.

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I read your study and as far as the Community Based Early Warning System you’ve put out, it seemed like it would work and makes much more sense given that not only is it low cost, but it also empowers the very people who’d be affected to pro-actively be involved in the mitigation process. Many times over, we’ve seen that strategic solutions where people directly involved are part of the process have much more motivation to make it work. Simple enough. It protects their very life and livelihood.

You did pointed out the severe need to have one. In the background, you talk about that our country is one of the most disastrous countries in the world, vulnerable to flashfloods and all. You talked about how the economic growth is inutile enough to even put a dent on improving poverty and unemployment that brings rise to insurgencies.

Well done, I agree with you on all points.

Clearly, it’s an open admission that the very agencies out there to help and protect us are nowhere to be found and of course we all know how misplaced their priorities are. Like how to make millions?

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