Beng explains city’s role in Z3R projects

• Source: http://www.zamboangatoday.ph/index.php/top-stories/24033-beng-explains-citys-role-in-z3r-projects.html
• Monday, May 7, 2018

By Vic Larato (PR)

The housing projects under the Zamboanga City Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery (Z3R) are under the national government through the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the city government’s role is limited to regulatory and coordination.

Mayor Beng Climaco made this clarification following the allegation of corruption against the city government in the implementation of the projects due to alleged substandard materials.

“The city government regulates and coordinates with agencies concerned in the implementation of the housing project, and we have no participation in the processing and awarding of contracts to the contractors,” Climaco explained during her guesting on “Dateline Teleradyo” of IBC TV-11 last Thursday.

In terms of monitoring, she said the city has documents to prove that “we wanted an independent monitoring to be done on the housing units.”

“Based on our review, we have not accepted any of the NHA projects under Z3R, although we have had formal turnovers but nothing has been accepted due to pending regulatory compliance and payments for the projects,” she further said.

To recall, a portion of the wooden footbridge leading to the housing-on-stilts in Rio Hondo collapsed under the combined weight of government officials inspecting the project, among them were the mayor, Cong. Celso Lobregat, Cong. Albee Benitez of Negros Occidental and NHA officials.

Cong. Benitez was in the city to inspect the Z3R housing units due to allegation of substandard materials.