Secretary Manuel Bonoan has reiterated that a Department Order issued in 2016 remains in full effect, strictly prohibiting all Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials and employees — regardless of rank or employment status — from entering, staying, or playing in gambling places such as casinos, cockpit arenas, and racing clubs.

The reminder comes after information gathered by the Daily Tribune revealed that some DPWH employees, including section chiefs, district engineers, and assistant district engineers, have allegedly been spotted inside gambling establishments. Verification of the reports is now underway.

Bonoan emphasized that it is the duty of every head of office to ensure that their personnel are fully aware of the prohibition and, if necessary, impose administrative penalties consistent with civil service rules.

Under the Revised Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (RRACCS), violations are classified as light offenses, punishable by reprimand for the first offense, suspension of one to 30 days for the second offense, and dismissal from service for the third.

DPWH officials say strict enforcement of the rule is necessary to maintain integrity in public service, especially as the agency faces heightened scrutiny over its handling of multibillion-peso infrastructure projects.

“The order is clear. No one in the Department is exempt,” an official familiar with the matter said, stressing that lapses in conduct could damage the agency’s credibility at a time when accountability and transparency are under public watch.