DILG MIMAROPA Assistant Regional Director Noel Bartolabac reminded the PDMU engineers to facilitate the completion of the slow-moving locally funded Projects granted to Local Government Units under ADM, AM, and SALINTUBIG programs.

As of August  2019, out of the 251 total number of granted projects to the LGUs, 217 or 86.45% are already completed, 26 or 10.36% are on-going and the remaining 8 or 3.19% are still pending.

“Let us remind the LGUs to make their catch-up plans for each project to fast track the completion of the projects”, said ARD Bartolabac.

Under the memorandum released by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the remaining unfinished MOA-Based LFPs were given until the end of the year to complete, otherwise these will be cancelled or terminated.

Through the Project Development and Management Unit (PDMU), the Department has already issued stern letters and notices to the LGUs to take necessary measures to complete the projects.

The concerned LGUs may also settle to revert the unutilized funds to the DILG Regional Office equivalent to the unfinished or remaining works in case the LGU fails to complete the project on time. They may also compensate the project completion by allocating LGU funds equivalent to the reverted unutilized funds.

The memorandum also specifies the strict monitoring and review of the DILG PAMANA Projects released from 2012 to 2016. Identified uncompleted projects located in the areas under the ELCAC Program shall be subjected to possible exemption from project cancellation.

Under the guidance of the Department, field officers are encouraged to help LGUs formulate strategies for the on time completion of the pending and on-going projects.