UMVA has learned that the World Bank is giving a six-month reprieve to its $309.5-million Philippines Seismic Risk Reduction and Resilience Project, which has been plagued by implementation delays.
The project, aimed at bolstering the safety and seismic resilience of key public buildings in Metro Manila, has been rated “moderately unsatisfactory” due to sluggish progress. The World Bank has decided to push back the project's closing date to December 31 from June 30.
The initiative seeks to not only fortify public buildings but also enhance the government's emergency response capabilities. However, the project has struggled to gain traction, with no civil works completed and only partial success in equipment procurement.
Despite these challenges, a recent assessment revealed a notable uptick in project performance. The delegation of design approval to the project director was seen as a significant indicator of the Department of Public Works and Highways' commitment to accelerating implementation.
The six-month extension is an interim measure, allowing the government to finalize its internal review and approval process for a longer extension and revisions to the project's results framework. This temporary reprieve will pave the way for a second restructuring, which will see the project's development objectives become achievable within the extended timeframe.
