Bacay, Ann Nesley D.

Samarita, Welbert P.

“Influence of Time Management in Construction Project Delay of Bauan-San

Pascual- Batangas City Road Construction”

INTRODUCTION

Roads contribute to the economic development of a nation. It connects one place

to another place and facilitates a convenient travel. People use road several times for fast
acquisition of their necessities to save time. Road plays a crucial role in people’s daily
activities.

Hence, roadworks had always project duration to follow. Department of Public

Works and Highways (DPWH), the main government agency tasked to undertake and
implement public infrastructure projects, bids the project to the contractor and plan it. The
project of this department are meant to be finished in accordance to the plan or contract,
if not then delay would cause a problem.

However, it is observed that mostly a lot of government projects are not finished
on the right time or delayed, as it was plan. It is reflected that there is a problem on the
time allotment that supposedly projects can already give service to the citizens.

This study attempts to identify the influence of time management as ethical

standard of DPWH in the Bauan- San Pascual- Batangas City road construction project.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Delay is considered a common problem in construction project. However, causes

of delays are often look down particularly the management of time. Mismanagement of
time is considered unethical based on the objective of the Department of Public Works
and Highways in their project. Despite of intensive planning, it often fails to complete
within the target time. DPWH Bauan-San Pascual- Batangas City, P 1.104 billion project
started back in 2017 and supposedly finished and passable by 2019. However, several
reports said that it would be extended until 2020 due to the issue of land owners and
residents right of way.

According to Assaf and Alttejji (2006), delay is the time overrun either beyond
completion date specified on a contract, or beyond the date that the parties agreed upon
for the delivery of a project. Ahmed et.al (2002) stated that the inability to complete
projects on time and within budget continues to be a chronic problem worldwide.

Also, delays are unpredictable in road construction projects especially at its initial
stage. Therefore, timely completion of road construction projects is a key challenge that
construction professionals face in reality (Ogunlana and Toor, 2008). The consequences
of road works include heavy traffic, increased likelihood of accidents and aggravated
levels of dust and mud. Along with the delays, the frequently faced consequences are
project failure, reduction of profit margin and loss of belief of citizen in government funded
projects and among others. When delays occur, projects either accelerates or extends its
duration beyond the scheduled completion date.

Furthermore, effective time management is vitally important in construction project.

Mackenzie (1990) tells that time management is the function required to maintain
appropriate allocation of time to the overall conduct of the project through the successive
stages of its natural life-cycle, (i.e. concept, development, execution, and finishing) by
means of the processes of time planning, time estimating, time scheduling, and schedule
control. Time management according to Felton (2009) is the process of planning and
exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase
effectiveness, efficiency and productivity. However, mostly government projects
particularly road construction are delayed and needs more time to finished it. This results
to multitude of negative effects on the project and its participating parties. According to
Westland (2006), time management is the process of recording and controlling time spent
by staff on the project. The issues are poor management of time, choice of procurement
methods, participation of shareholders, poor planning of construction works, lack of
implementation of software, poor site records and etc. Thus these issues can lead to
delays are insidious often resulting in time overrun, cost overrun, disputes, litigation, and
complete abandonment of projects.

On the other hand, construction projects are carried out within a specific time the
scenario that calls for proper time management in particular eliminating all avenues of
delays and disruptions. Factors such as improper planning and poor site management
are determinants in managing the target time.

Time is important as it cost money. The more time spend on the project, the more
it cost money. However, if proper management will be applied, delays and its
consequences will be lessened.