BAGUIO CITY — The implementation of the government State-of-the-Nation-Address (SONA) Projects in the Central Cordilleras will be in full swing this week with the complete awarding of all 27 contract packages worth 3.9 billion to 17 winning construction firms.

Out of the 27 contract packages, the Omengan Construction and Development Corporation (OCDC) based in Kalinga Province won 7 packages in addition to the ongoing 4 packages awarded to them in December 2008. The aggregate cost of the 11 contract packages awarded to OCDC the is 1.11 billion pesos.

Baguio City based R.U. Aquino Construction won packages 1 to 3 and 5 & 6 with a total cost of 673.76 million pesos for all 5 packages.

Peter B. Omengan (PBO) Construction got 4 packages but in a joint venture in two of it with Wilper Construction and another package with P. Buhong Construction. All 4 packages cost 370.38 million pesos.

JD Legaspi a construction firm based in Manila in a joint venture with VUC Eng’g., JC Baac, BHM and DCE Constn. got 6 packages worth 1.12 billion pesos.

Ifugao based, Paula Bohong Construction aside from the joint ventures with PBO and Wilper Construction, won a sole contract of 50 million.

The other firms won a package each are: JC Baac Construction (50 million), Northern Builders (176.5 million), Kane Construction (50 million) and Marcbilt, a Manila base firm (139.37 million).

The JC Baac Construction is owned by the incumbent Vice Governor of Kalinga Province, Hon. Jocel C. Baac.

Meanwhile, Engr. Alexander Castaneda, the designated SONA czar disclosed that his office will be convening a meeting with the contractors and concerned sectors on the first week of March 2009 in Bontoc to resolved issues and concerns that came out since the SONA summit. # Joseph Pangket