Of the P2.389 billion Bohol Earthquake Assistance funding 1,063 sub projects from 44 local government units, a total of P1.865 billion checks have been released for the 1,026 projects.

This comprises 77.67% of the total funds which the national government gave to help Bohol rehabilitate and reconstruct key infrastructure which have been ruined by the 2013 devastating earthquake.

The BEA funds, which LGUs are getting are used for the rehabilitation of earthquake-damaged roads, government buildings and facilities, public markets, access facilitation, waterworks and sanitation, and other development-spurring infrastructure.

It may be recalled that the October 15, 2013 earthquake left 44 of Bohol’s 47 towns and a city suffering from massive damages and entire communities displaced when people were rendered homeless.

According to data obtained from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), of the 1063 subprojects submitted each with corresponding program of works (POW), 1,050 projects have already approved programs of works. Only 13 sub projects have yet to get their program of works approved.

As to the DILG through BEA implementation monitoring team Nina Christine Ipong, 1,054 sub projects have in fact, obtained Certificates of Availability of Funds issued to assure contractors and administrations implementing the subprojects that funds have been allocated according to the POWs as prepared through consultative processes.

As of February 11, 2016, of the 1,050 subprojects with approved POWs, 50% or some 609 subprojects have been completely implemented and turned over, while a remaining 30.57% or 321 subprojects are on different stages of implementation following the procurement process which were observed under government auditing procedures and processes.

To date, still some 88 subprojects, or 8.4% of the total 1063 post earthquake rehabilitation and rebuilding subprojects are on the different stages of procurement, according to the DILG which is now headed by Ma. Louella Lucino.

Another 32 subprojects of the 1,063 which towns have previously identified, are now on pre-procurements and are preparing documents for the open and competitive bidding, as required of government projects implementation.

Other than the BEA projects, another round of fund assistance from the national government is slated from a so called BEA 2 in Bohol.

Weeks ago, Governor Edgar Chatto met mayors in a consultative gathering while he announced the upcoming fresh funds for the BEA 2, to which the mayors were elated. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)