The local government unit of Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, is considering rebidding a ₱144-million water system project after the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) revoked the license of a Discaya-owned firm. The Davao City-based Crown Works Development Corp., awarded the project, had rented a license from St. Gerrard Construction and Development Corp., one of the companies owned by Pacifico and Sarah Discaya, who are under congressional investigation for alleged anomalies in multi-billion-peso infrastructure projects. The project, funded through a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines, is 75 percent complete, according to an audit. Mayor Richard Plaza is expected to issue a work stoppage and terminate the contract following a meeting next week. Crown Works handles the Cluster II phase, involving pipe-laying for nine of the town’s 11 barangays. Originally slated for November completion, the project aims to provide a Level III water system for 2,800 households in Sta. Josefa, which had a population of 26,432 in the 2020 Census. PCAB’s Board Resolution No. 075, approved on September 1, also revoked licenses of other Discaya-owned firms, including Alpha and Omega General Contractor, St. Timothy Construction, and Great Pacific Builders, among others. This followed Sarah Discaya’s Senate admission that she controlled nine firms simultaneously bidding on the same government project. A PCAB license is mandatory for contractors in the Philippines, ensuring compliance with national standards. PCAB cited collusion and procurement law violations in the Discayas’ practices.
