DELAYS in the implementation of irrigation projects made the unused funds of National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to accumulate to almost P5.2 billion in 2011, higher by 93 percent in 2010.

In the report by the Commission on Audit on the general fund of the Irrigation office, review of projects showed that the 2011 yearend balance of unused funds snowballed to P5.18 billion or 92.56 percent higher than the P2.96 billion unused fund in 2010.

“The huge amount of unutilized cash . . . was an indication that [NIA] failed to implement the projects as targeted; funds were available but NIA incurred unreasonable delays in the procurement process,” the Audit agency reported.

Evaluation of projects from the central, regional and provincial management offices showed that delays have been incurred.

At the Central Office, among others, the project contract for the construction of Sta. Josefa Main Canal and Pumping Station in Agusan del Sur province was delayed by one year.

The Audit department reported that the project was extended to 118 days due to heavy rainfall without proper evaluation and supporting documents.

However, a review of the report of rainfall from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) only indicated 80 days with heavy rainfall.

“Comparison of the reports obtained from Pagasa [with] the reported unworkable days per contractor’s report disclosed that only 80 days were reported by Pagasa with rainfall of 7.6 mm against the contractor’s report of 302 days,” Audit report said.

The original date of completion per contract was December 30, 2010 but as of audit, “the project was still ongoing.”

In the Bicol Region, 24 projects were delayed due to numerous time suspension and extensions requested by the contractors.

Twenty-two projects worth P213.84 million had implementation period between 2008 and 2011, “however, all of these were still not completed as of December 31, 2011 contrary to the contract periods.”

Audit department commented that the slow progress of planned projects have already affected the agency’s mandate to lay down irrigation for farmers, “depriving the farmer beneficiaries of the benefits of better and improved farm facilities.”

Auditors asked Irrigation office to monitor irrigation projects to ensure timely completion and to observe stipulated contract period.

Should projects become long overdue, the Irrigation admin should take over their implementation to optimize the use of the funds, the Audit department recommended.

NIA replied that “majority of the cause of the delay were due to bad weather conditions which they could not prevent.”

However, measures like status monitoring with the project engineers and coordinating with the contractors are constantly done, the auditee said.