President Benigno Aquino III. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Amid accusations of overpriced bunkhouses for typhoon victims, President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday lauded the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for saving at least P19 billion in government funds.
“The right projects, at the right quality, at reduced costs, completed within a reduced time-frame, all because we put the right people on the job,” Aquino said of the DPWH during the Good Governance Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center.
“As a matter of fact, to date, the DPWH has saved not less than 19 billion pesos,” the President added.
Aquino said that there is a need “to examine the details and ensure that each agency can make best use of the funds allotted to them.”
He explained that sometimes, this meant modifying processes since strictly adhering to proper bidding and procurement processes may also result in inefficiency.
“Our Department of Public Works and Highways, or DPWH, is a remarkable example. The old process…involved potential bidders for infrastructure projects writing letters of intent; their names would then be posted in a list. This facilitated collusion among bidders who would know who their other competitors would be: they would speak to each other and agree to synchronize bids, defeating the purpose of the public bidding process,” he pointed out.
Aquino said DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson has ended this practice, resulting in “true competition which has led to the Filipino people getting the infrastructure they need: The right projects, at the right quality, at reduced costs, completed within a reduced time-frame, all because we put the right people on the job.”
During the event, the President discussed government innovations for good governance, including the Cashless Purchase Card, the Open Data website and the General Appropriations Act as budget release document.
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