‘PSS awarded $62.5M for Yutu recovery; paid only $1M to date’

The federal government has awarded the Public School System $62.5 million for recovery from the 2018 Super Typhoon Yutu, but the Public Assistance Office has so far paid only just a little over $1 million to PSS, according to PAO’s Patrick Guerrero.

Speaking at an “informal meeting” Wednesday with members of the House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Committee in the House chamber, Guerrero said he can’t say “expended” as they depend on PSS submitting those reimbursement requests to them.

“But, again, there’s a cost-share so the actual obligated amount is $55 million and we’ve only drawn down a little over a million dollars,” he said.

Guerrero, who is also the Governor’s Authorized Representative for COVID-19, said he is aware that PSS has completed significant work for some of their smaller projects, or some of the smaller school repairs. He said they do meet with PSS regularly, much more than the mandatory quarterly meetings.
Guerrero said they do anticipate request from PSS for a few million dollars coming in within the next 30 to 60 days for the work that has already been completed.

He said PAO and PSS are now focusing more on what needs to be completed. He said the big questions usually arise from some of the larger projects like the Hopwood Junior High School and William S. Reyes Elementary School repairs. Guerrero said those projects alone account for half of the funding that’s still left to be drawn.

He said there’s a process that’s ongoing and that they’re working with PSS—whether it’s Architecture and Design (A&E) or a pending Federal Emergency Management Agency review—to comply with regulations.
“We’re not sitting idle. We’re continuing to work with them, trying to get these projects off the ground and completed,” Guerrero said.

Ways and Means Committee vice chair Rep. Corina L. Magofna, (Ind-Saipan), who presided over the meeting, sought clarifications on the expenses connected with the drawdown of a little over a million. Guerrero said that PSS had debris removal projects and emergency protective measures implemented during the response period, which probably happened during the first six months after Yutu.

He said those projects accounted for about $750,000 and the remaining balance is a few schools that have completed some repair work.

Rep. Leila Staffler (D-Saipan) said that when she communicated with PSS, they shared with her that they’re supposed to have A&E firm assigned coming from PAO.

Guerrero agreed with Staffler, saying that most schools that require A&E services have been assigned one and work is being done by those firms to assist them.

Staffler believes that might be where some of the disconnect in communication is happening because it is her understanding that the A&E firms haven’t gotten their notice to proceed.
Guerrero said they have four A&E firms that they are working with and they assigned those to certain sub-recipients like PSS, if they request for such services. He said he can provide a list of every school with assigned A&E firms after the meeting.

Staffler said she is concerned, considering that only $1 million has been drawn down from the $65 million and the window for that funding is closing.

“It sounds like PSS is waiting on approvals from another place,” said Staffler, adding that PSS should get that $65 million so that they can provide all students with safe, conducive places for learning that are not broken down.

“The sooner we move, the sooner our kids can go back to school in good locations,” she said as she urged Guerrero and PSS to expedite the process.