The Commission on Audit (COA) has scored the delay in the construction of the P316.4 million Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower building of the Clark International Airpot (CIA) in Pampanga.
In its audit report, COA said that the construction of the ATC buildng was only 60.90 percent complete as of Dec. 31, 2023 despite its targetted completion date of Jan. 24, 2022.
It said its auditors checked the construction of the ATC at CIA last March 7 and found it has not been completed.
In its report, COA also said that another project that has incurred delays was the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of the Primary Surveillance Radar and Monopulse Secondary Radar, which costs P624.03 million but remains 25.9 percent completed. Its original target completion date was Feb. 18, 2023.
It noted that ATC Tower originally had a 365-day contract duration, but was pushed back a total of five times. It was given contract extensions of 90 days, 120 days, 60 days, 80 days, and 215 days, or a total of 565 days. Now, its latest completion date has been targetted on Aug. 12, 2024, it also said.
For the Primary and Secondary Radars, COA said project had a 510-day contract duration, but had been granted three extensions of 90 days, 317 days, and 180 days or a total of 587 days. The latest completion date for the project is set on Sept. 27, 2024.
COA said it was told that the main reason why the ATC Tower experienced "protracted delays" was because of the trouble incurred in obtaining Height Clearance Permit.
However, COA said it has been informed that things are now moving along after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) asked CIA to submit additional documentation in support of the study as well as the "implementation status of the mitigating actions for the construction of the New Air Traffic Control Tower" and the 16 flight procedure designs.
Also in its report, COA pointed out that the delays incurred have deprived the government of the "timely utilization of the much-needed infrastructure by its intended beneficiaries," and they blamed it on "inadequate planning, supervision, and monitoring."