DPWH vows transparency, accountability in infrastructure projects

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is underscoring its commitment to transparency, accountability, and timely infrastructure delivery in the country, even as DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon stressed the need to prevent misuse of public funds.

“We’ve gone through several corruption crises in the past. Above all these, we need to ensure that every centavo of the people’s money must be spent for the people,” he said during the first General Membership Meeting of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on 16 February.

Themed “Regaining Public Trust: DPWH at the Forefront,” the event was focused on the urgent need to restore public confidence in the agency.

Zero-tolerance approach to corruption

“The heart of this is ensuring that what we have seen repeatedly in the past years and decades does not happen again,” Dizon added, emphasizing DPWH’s zero-tolerance approach to corruption.

PCCI Membership Director Alegria Sibal-Limjoco stressed the significance of Dizon’s remarks. “This meeting is more than just a discussion; it is a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to rebuild confidence, demonstrate competence, and ensure DPWH remains a reliable partner to the public and business sectors,” she said.

The meeting gave an update of DPWH’s infrastructure maintenance and the completion of long-delayed projects. Roads and bridges from EDSA to the Maharlika Highway, as well as bridges like Cabagan-Santa Maria and San Agustin, are being repaired or completed on accelerated timelines. Proper and timely maintenance, Dizon said, is critical to safety and rebuilding trust in public infrastructure.

Comprehensive reforms

He also outlined comprehensive reforms across budgeting, procurement, and project management. The agency introduced a new budgeting system that prioritizes completion of ongoing projects, ensures local development council endorsements, and eliminates discretionary allocations.

Procurement reforms now require disclosure of beneficial ownership, limit BAC members’ terms, and enforce swift forfeiture of bonds for contractor defaults, safeguarding public resources.