DPWH chief warns of bogus raffles, fund-raisers

Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio Singson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson warned the public anew about unscrupulous people using his name and that of the Department of Public Works and Highways for non-existent DPWH raffles, sports events and other fake fund-raising activities.

In a statement on Monday, Singson said “there is no raffle, sports activity or any fund raising activity being sponsored by the DPWH. These alleged activities are non-existent and should not be entertained.”

“Our mandate is building roads, bridges and other national infrastructures. We are not, in any way, involved in any fund-raising activities. We will not allow and will never tolerate these unscrupulous persons or groups to destroy the entire DPWH community,” he emphasized.

The DPWH head clarified he did “not allow anybody to solicit funds or get favorable considerations either personally or through e-mail, text messages or letters.”

Singson said he had personally received reports that some unscrupulous individuals have been dropping his name and that of the department to solicit sponsorships for raffles and sports events, among other supposedly fund-raising activities.

The same persons, he also disclosed, have been targeting DPWH project contractors, suppliers and people doing business with the agency.

These individuals and groups “have been dragging the names of DPWH top officials in a bid to destroy the continuing efforts of the department to transform and follow President Aquino’s daang matuwid (good governance) crusade,” said Singson.

He pointed out that “with national infrastructure projects being implemented according to approved plans and specifications by better equipped and qualified contractors with closer monitoring by civil society groups, some unscrupulous individuals and groups have resorted to other ways of making easy money from the same contractors and other business people.”

“Our commitment is to ensure the quality and safety of our national road network by upgrading and maintaining the roads properly, not to conduct raffles or sponsor sports events,” he also stressed.

The DPWH has also encountered attempts by some influential individuals acting as fixers to solicit projects and facilitate budget releases for agency projects.

He urged “those who have received phone calls or letter-requests through e-mail to help put an end to these illegal activities by calling the DPWH Public Information Division at telephone numbers 536-3477 or through the 24/7 DPWH Call Center hotline 165-02.”