The construction of the P195.03 million Emergency 911 National Office and Command Center (NOCC) building of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has remained "uncompleted" more than two years after its adjusted completion date was set in April 2022.

Despite delay, the Commission on Audit (COA) said the contractor had more advanced progress billings which were inconsistent with the actual accomplishments.

In its 2024 annual audit report, the COA said the NOCC building was intended to enhance public safety and improve emergency response services by creating a nationwide, unified, and accessible system, which would replace the previous Patrol 117 system.

A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by the National Housing Authority (NHA) and DILG on Sept. 18, 2019 for the use of 3,000 square meters of the 4,617.30 square meter lot area for the Emergency 911 NOCC located at Mindanao Avenue corner Road 3 in Project 6, Quezon City.

The COA said the price for the construction was P195,031,151.01, and the contract indicated that it should be completed from Dec. 29, 2020 to Dec. 29, 2021.

Since the contractor requested for extensions due to unfavorable weather conditions, the application of permits, and clearing of informal settlers, they agreed that the new target date of completion was April 28, 2022.

However, the COA said the project remained uncompleted and the contractor has stopped construction since Dec. 1, 2022.

When the DILG Inspectorate Team issued an Assessment Report on Aug. 30, 2024, it indicated an accomplishment rate of 65 percent, even though the contractor reported a 68.02 percent accomplishment rate. The variance of 2.58 percent translates to a difference of P5,023,383.83, the COA said.

A Notice of Termination dated Sept. 19, 2024 was issued to the contractor. But there was no proof that the notice had been received by the contractor, it said.

"It is emphasized that while contractual obligations rest with the contractor, the primary responsibility for closely monitoring and supervising the project implementation lies with management," the COA pointed out.

It warned: "Considering that this is a priority development project with significant public interest aimed at enhancing public safety and improving emergency response services, the expected benefits have not been realized. The prolonged delay not only compromises service delivery but also exposes the partially completed structure to environmental elements and potential deterioration."

The COA recommended that the project-in-charge prepare a catch-up plan to ensure the speedy completion of the project and refer the matter to the legal division to explore legal remedies against the contractor who abandoned the project.