COA: DILG’s Emergency 911 HQ still unfinished years after target date

The P195-million, three-storey Emergency 911 National Office and Command Center (NOCC) under the jurisdiction of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has yet to be finished years after its target completion date of May 2022, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.

In its 2024 annual audit report on the DILG, COA said that the building’s target completion date had already been moved twice: from December 29, 2021 to April 28, 2022, and then to May 18, 2022.

"Despite the approved contract time extensions, the project remained uncompleted within the revised target date of completion and the contractor has stopped construction since December 1, 2022,” COA said.

The Emergency 911 NOCC, being built on the corner of Mindanao Avenue and Road 3 in Project 6, Quezon City stemmed from the Emergency 911 System initiative inked through a memorandum of agreement and Deed of Usufruct by and between the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the DILG on September 18, 2019.

While the DILG Inspectorate Team issued an Assessment Report, dated August 30, 2024, indicating an accomplishment of 65%, COA said that a Notice of Termination dated September 19, 2024, was issued by the former Department Secretary to the contractor concerned on the grounds of Abandonment under Item 3.a.2 of the Guidelines of Termination of Contracts of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184 (Procurement Law).

However, COA said there was no proof of receipt of the Notice of Termination by the contractor, and no record of any comment or response from the contractor was available.

“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 (DILG), through the Project Management Office (PMO) or the designated Project-in-Charge. This oversight is crucial to ensure that the project adheres to the approved plans and specifications and is completed within the prescribed time frame,” COA said.

“Evidently, despite the time extensions granted by DILG Central Office Management, the contractor was unable to deliver substantial progress and continued to incur delays in the project completion. 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,” it added.

In addition, state auditors said that the prolonged delay not only compromises service delivery but also exposes the partially completed structure to environmental elements and potential deterioration.

COA said that in response, the DILG agreed to implement the following recommendations of state auditors: 

• direct the designated Project-in-Charge to prepare catch-up plan to ensure the speedy completion of the project; and
• refer the matter to the Legal Division to explore appropriate legal remedies, including the forfeiture of the performance bond for the non-completion and abandonment of the project by the contractor in accordance with the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184 (Procurement Law).

— BM, GMA Integrated News