Office of the President

of the Philippines

Malacañang

MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 118

President’s Bridge Program —‘Tulay Ni Erap” Program Implementation Guidelines

Pursuant to the mandate of the Oversight Committee on the President’s Bridge Program (OCPBP), these Guidelines shall be adopted to cover the implementation of the President’s Bridge Program — ‘Salam (Peace) Bridge’ and ‘Tulay ni Erap sa Barangay’ Projects.

1. As the Office of the President is the signatory to the supply contract under the President’s Bridge Program, all project policies shall emanate from the Oversight Committee on the President’s Bridge Program and closely coordinated and monitored by its Technical Working Group (TWG).

2. Selection of bridges shall be done with utmost consideration for optimum benefit focusing on disadvantaged communities with the participation of the various Regional Development Councils and concerned LGUs.

3. To ensure project efficiency without compromising effectivity for success, implementation shall be done through clustering of areas with close supervision from Mabey & Johnson (M&J), including consultations with the Special Project Management Office (SPMO) of on-going SALAM Bridges Project.

4. All project concerns should pass the President’s Bridge Program-Technical Working Group chaired by the Senior Deputy Executive Secretary through the Deputy Executive Secretary.

In the course of the project implementation, the OCPBP initially issues the following specific directions:

1 Project Implementation Structure

(a) The Project shall be under the Oversight Committee on the President’s Bridge Program chaired by the Executive Secretary and undertaken by the SPMO according to M.O. 69, s. 1999 and M.O. 115, s. 2000.

(b) The PBP-TWG shall closely coordinate with the SPMOs and M&J. The TWG shall capitalize on the effective and efficient implementation of the SALAM SPMO and utilize its management and other necessary personnel in the pursuit of its functions.

(c) Regional Directors shall monitor the progress of the project. They shall ensure that the policies of the OCPBP are implemented efficiently and effectively.

(2) Bridge Selection

(a) The first thirty (30) priority bridges shall be selected by the SPMO in coordination with the RDC and endorsed to the Oversight Committee for approval by the President.

(b) The remaining 372 bridges shall be submitted by the RDC of each region on or before 15 November 2000 to the SPMO and endorsed to the Oversight Committee for approval by the President.

(3) Bridge Design

(a) Per Consultant Agreement stipulated in Annex IV-III, the Project Consultant shall undertake the survey, soil investigation, estimate and design of the bridges including the production of the signed and approved drawings in coordination with the Local Engineering Office.

(b) The design and estimate shall be approved by the SPMO.

(4) Construction

(a) To fast track the implementation, the following process shall be utilized in the procurement of services: by administration, through simplified bidding or by negotiation, following strictly government accounting rules and procedures.

(b) Per Memorandum Order No. 115, the SPMO shall undertake the construction and superstructure erection of 402 modular steel bridges.

(c) Local labor shall be utilized as much as possible to generate employment in the area.

(d) The SPMO shall coordinate with the Local Government Engineering Office in close consultation with the Local Chief Executive.

(5) Project Monitoring

(a) DILG Regional Office shall monitor the project’s progress of implementation. The report shall be submitted to the concerned SPMO.

(6) LGU Participation

(a) All LGU beneficiaries of ‘Tulay ni Erap’ shall enter into a MOA with the SPMO to ensure their participation in the construction and erection of the bridges, including its maintenance upon completion. The Provincial Government through its provincial engineers shall be tapped in the preparation and approval of bridge designs.

(7) Inspection and Acceptance of Supplied Goods and Services

(a) An inter-agency Special Inspectorate Team (SIT) of the PBP-TWG shall be utilized to act as the project’s inspection team responsible for accounting the various goods and services to be supplied under the project. The SIT report shall be the basis for accepting the bridging materials and goods supplied under the project.

(b) All project billing from M&J shall be endorsed by SPMO for approval to the OCPBP-TWG prior to acceptance.

(8) Project Implementation

(a) The project will adopt an approach to optimize the immediate benefit that the project can bring to the local communities. Design, construction and erection shall be simultaneous with the identified clusters.

(b) The project shall establish a set of construction teams to specifically implement the design, construction and erection phases of the project focusing on one area after the other.

(c) LGU participation if any, shall be limited to labor contribution and maintenance upon completion. Since the project targets the poor communities, the project should exert efforts to find ways that said conditions will not obstruct the erection and completion of the bridges for the identified poor communities.

(9) Administration and Reporting

(a) Project financial transactions must be in accordance with existing government rules and regulations. All physical assets of the project should be recorded within the DILG’s book of accounts.

(b) Project personnel nominations and assignments, be it local or foreign, must be concurred by the OCPBP Chairman through the TWG. All assignments must be covered by specific terms of reference prepared by the concerned SPMO and concurred by the TWG.

(c) DILG personnel may be tapped for the project’s regional implementation. However, should it be deemed necessary, the SPMO may request for a detail or hire personnel on a temporary basis.

(d) Project physical accomplishments should be supported by photo documentation.

(e) Project accomplishment reports should be submitted within five working days at the end of each month in five copies.

(10) Project Budget

All cost attributed to the implementation of the project, including honoraria and allowances of project personnel, shall be charged to the project, subject to existing government rules and regulations.

All other existing guidelines used under the President’s Bridge Program ‘Tulay ni Erap’ that are inconsistent with the above shall be considered superseded.

By authority of the President:

(Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
Executive Secretary

Chairman, Oversight Committee

on the President’s Bridge Program

October 24, 2000

Source: CDAsia