AUDIT OBSERVATION MEMORANDUM NO. 7

AUDIT OBSERVATION MEMORANDUM NO. 7. Premature conversion activities were undertaken by LGU Bulan, Sorsogon of a Riceland donated by Mrs. Anecita O. De Castro to be developed into a Bus Terminal from October 4, 2006 prior to awarding of the contract to S.R. Baldon Construction & Supply on December 11, 2006.

DISCUSSION:

Premature conversion activities were undertaken by LGU Bulan, Sorsogon on the Riceland donated by Mrs. Anecita O. De Castro as the site of Bulan Integrated Bus Terminal. As of October 4, 2006, almost half hectare (1/2 ha.) has been filled up with truck loads of soil fillers. Likewise hollow blocks are already present within the area as a result of the ocular inspection made by Mr. Gil G. Garido, Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer of Bulan, Sorsogon. This information was transmitted to Mr. Roseller R. Olayres, OIC-PARO II, DAR Provincial Office, Balogo, Sorsogon City, and Atty. Juan F. Zulueta, Chairman, Provincial Task Force on Illegal Conversion, copy furnished, the Regional Director and Regional Task Force on Illegal Conversion pursuant to AO No. 1 Series of 2002, and AO No. 4 Series of 2003.

With the foregoing facts and information, the Municipal Engineer and the Zoning Officer III/Project In-Charge should determine the quantity of truck loads of soil fillers in terms of cubic meters and hollow blocks and the corresponding size delivered to the project site and the corresponding computation of its equivalent money value.

COA’S RECOMMENDATION:

Require the Municipal Engineer and Zoning Officer III/Project In-Charge to quantify the alleged/actual deliveries of soil fillers in terms of cubic meters and the number of pieces of hollow blocks and the corresponding size delivered to the project site and the corresponding computation of its equivalent value in terms of pesos is likewise reiterated.

LGU’S COMMENT:

The LGU has no record of premature conversion activities of the lot donated by Ms. Anecita O. De Castro. Pictures of proposed projects sites included in the application for Environmental Compliance Certificate would show that the particular lot was vacant and free of construction materials prior to actual projects implementation. There is a strong possibility that the area, being vacant, was temporarily utilized by businesses in the vicinity. It was recalled that there was, at a time, an on-going construction on the lots adjacent to the terminal.