DPWH to scrutinize flagged insertions in 2027 budget

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The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will scrutinize alleged insertions of infrastructure projects in the House of Representatives-approved 2027 budget to determine whether they are justified, newly installed Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez said on Wednesday.

The agency will check whether the projects are backed by supporting documents, master plans, feasibility studies and coordination with local government units (LGUs), Lopez said in an interview with Balitanghali.

“May mga pagpupulong na po kami sa mga susunod na araw. Sisikapin naming suriin kung ano ang mga proyektong binanggit at kung may sapat na batayan ang mga ito,” Lopez said.

(We have meetings scheduled in the coming days. We will scrutinize the projects that were mentioned and determine whether they have sufficient basis.)

The watchdog People’s Budget Coalition recently flagged around 6,000 proposed projects involving multipurpose buildings and local access roads, saying these appeared to have contributed to reduced funding for foreign-assisted projects.

Lopez thanked the watchdog for monitoring government spending, saying citizens’ groups played an important role in helping the government through their vigilance.

Lopez assumed the DPWH post on Monday, swapping positions with Vince Dizon, who took over the Department of Transportation (DOTr). Dizon had previously served as DPWH chief.

At a press conference the following day, Dizon handed Lopez a thick stack of documents. Asked about their contents, Lopez declined to provide specific details but said they contained complaints.

The DPWH has been at the center of a multibillion-peso corruption controversy during the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. following revelations of an alleged kickback scheme involving flood control projects and public officials.

The alleged scheme involved inserting infrastructure projects into the budget, inflating project costs and manipulating bidding processes to award contracts to favored contractors.

These contractors would then allegedly carry out substandard construction to make room for kickbacks intended for various recipients, including lawmakers and personnel of the DPWH and in some cases, the Commission on Audit (COA).

Lopez also said he planned to revisit Bulacan, which emerged as a focal point of the controversy. Former DPWH engineers assigned to district offices in the province have admitted to helping funnel public funds through ghost projects.

“Kailangan naming tutukan kung ano po ang nangyari dito sa Bulacan. Sa mga susunod na araw, kailangan naming bumalik kasama si Sec. Vince (Dizon) at kailangang ayusin,” Lopez said.

(We need to focus on what happened here in Bulacan. In the coming days, we need to return with Secretary Vince and address the problems.)

Dizon, who took over the DPWH following the resignation of Manuel Bonoan amid questions of command responsibility, said the agency continued to need public assistance in addressing corruption.

He urged citizens’ groups, religious organizations and ordinary Filipinos to regularly report alleged irregularities involving DPWH personnel across the country.

“Hiningi natin ang tulong ng ating mga partner citizens’ groups, ang simbahan at ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino, na magsumite regularly sa atin ng mga report ng mga kawani ng DPWH sa iba't ibang lugar sa Pilipinas,” Dizon said.

(We have asked our partner citizens’ groups, the Church and ordinary Filipinos to regularly submit reports to us about DPWH personnel in various parts of the Philippines.)— MCG, GMA News

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