TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang underscored that he never grabbed the credit in the sourcing out of funds for the implementation of the multi-million Wagud Bridge project in Pinukpuk Town, saying that it is just proper to give credit where credit is due.
The congressmen admitted that the P40 million initial funding for the project was sourced out by the provincial government from the Pamana Oroject of the Office of the Presidential Peace Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) that was coursed through the Department of the Interior and Local government (DILG) but it was his office that sourced out the P70 million that was used for the completion of the 110-lineal meter bridge from the public works department as clearly reflected in the General Appropriations Act.
Further, Mangaoang disclosed that aside from working out the balance for the completion of the bridge project, his office also worked out with the public works department an additional P100 million for the upgrading of the Wagud-Aciga Road and the Tawang to Buaya Road in Balbalan. P50 million was coursed through the Lower Kalinga District Engineering Office for the concreting of the Wagud to Aciga road in Pinukpuk while P50 Million was coursed through the Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office for the concreting of the Tawang to Buaya Road in Balbalan.
Of the 40 million that was sourced out by the provincial government, P10 million was used for the completion of the grouted riprap while the balance was used for the abutment of the bridge which were contracted by TRIBU Design-TNJ Builders joint venture, an alleged dummy contractor of a provincial official.
“My detractors want to portray me as a lame duck congressman for them to be able to advance the personal and political interest of their supposed benefactor. We will not resort to tell lies just to gain the trust and confidence of our constituents. What we have done was to show that we have done something for the sustainable growth and development of Kalinga even in a limited period of time,” Mangaoang stressed.
He claimed that Gov. Jocel C. Baac even requested him that he will be the one to allegedly implement the P70 million ridge project and the P50 million concreting of the Wagud to Aciga road which he acceded provided that his construction firm will be able to win the Rbidding for the projects. However, he reportedly did not accede to the governor’s request for him to be the one to implement the P50 million concreting of the Tawang to Buaya Road because there are some qualified contractors in Balbalan who are capable of implementing the project in the UKDEO.
On the other hand, Mangaoang clarified that he never grabbed the credit for the ongoing implementation of the upgrading of the Katabbogan-Wagud provincial road which is under the World Bank-funded Philippine rural Development Program (PRDP) because it was a consolidated effort among the provincial officials why the WB was convinced to fund the project.
During its conceptualization and planning stages, Mangaoang was the vice governor of Kalinga who joined the Kalinga delegation of provincial officials in defending the funding of the project with WB representatives in Metro Manila for a number of times. By HENT