Singson admits ‘stigma,’ vows DPWH will do better

Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—While admitting that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was handicapped by “negative perceptions and the stigma of being one of the most corrupt government agencies,” Secretary Rogelio Singson nevertheless stressed the DPWH was “slowly gaining ground in its paradigm shift to elevate the essence of public service.”

In a 31-page performance report, Singson said that “as a government agency, the DPWH through the years has been confronted with this problem,” among other challenges it faces in fulfilling its mandate of providing and managing quality infrastructure nationwide.

In the March 19 report, a copy of which was furnished the INQUIRER, Singson said “the key players to mitigate this problem are its [DPWH] personnel, the doers and decision makers with shared power to accomplish the department’s mandate.”

“Year in and year out, the DPWH has taken bold steps to address this major concern. It took it upon itself to seek ways and means to level up its positive integrity perception among its clientele,” he said.

Singson said that “consistent with President Aquino’s social contract with the Filipino people, the DPWH continuously implements better quality, adequate, safe and cost-effective infrastructure facilities and services that would ensure the attainment of inclusive growth and the reduction of poverty.”

He noted that “in 2012, the country posted robust economic growth as a result of the government’s commitment to good governance and accountability reforms, and increased public spending in infrastructure and social services through transparent, participatory and accountable management of public funds.”

“With our prudent utilization of taxpayer money as well as improved procurement processes and open, transparent, competitive bidding as of Dec. 31, we were able to save over P12 billion which can be utilized for other priority development projects,” he reported.

“We have done much with so limited personnel,” he said, stressing that the department was “slowly gaining ground in its paradigm shift to elevate the essence of public service that is doing the right project at the right cost, right quality, and accomplished on time by the right people.”