Got a tip? Send it to us at manila@coconuts.co.
Some heads should really roll over fiascos such as this one.
“The Commission on Audit (COA) has accused the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) of wasting government funds when the agency beautified the Circulo del Mundo Rotunda near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, despite knowing that the structure was scheduled for demolition,” reports Michael Punongbayan in The Philippine Star.
In a recently released COA report, state auditors said the MMDA could have avoided incurring PHP803,000 in unnecessary expenses related to the project.
Related story: The ugly Circulo del Mundo sculpture explained
The report noted: “The COA report said the MMDA spent government funds to put up park lamps and improve the landscape of the Circulo del Mundo Rotunda by planting 150 trees in August 2012 and July 2013. However, just months later, in January 2014, the said structures had to be demolished when the NAIA Expressway Project started, as shown in the website of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).”
The MMDA was supposed to have already known about the NAIA Expressway Project because records show that the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) board approved the 17.15-kilometer elevated expressway project on May 30, 2012.
The COA report reasoned: “Certainly, the resulting demolition of the Layag Islas structure at the Circulo del Mundo Rotunda on Andrews Avenue had been expected even in the early stage of planning the expressway project and, therefore, there should be no need for further improvement to beautify the said structure to prevent wastage of government funds.”
The MMDA responded by saying “the additional expenses should not be considered a waste of government funds The park lamps were installed following complaints from residents about the peace and order situation in the area.” The MMDA likewise said that “while waiting for the NAIA expressway construction to start, it used the rotunda as a nursery for a tree-planting project.”
State auditors were, however, didn’t seem to buy the MMDA’s explanation. They said the MMDA “should have installed lighting that would provide enough illumination to deter crimes, not just ‘stylish’ park lamps.” Citing purchase orders, they pointed out that “the trees purchased for the rotunda were already 10 to 15 feet tall and meant for a mini-forest and botanical garden.”
The COA report stated: “A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. In this case, however, the size of the trees purchased did not seem to be needing a nursery.”
