DPWH saves P39B, cites its ‘full transparency’

Thanks to the five Rs, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has saved more than P39 billion in cost for infrastructure projects during the past four and a half year, and is expecting to save more in the last year of the Aquino administration, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said.

“We’re not done yet,” Singson told the Inquirer, citing the five Rs formula, for “right project, right quality, right people, at the right time and right cost.”

Singson said the formula translated to “full transparency” in operations, including the conduct of competitive bidding in an undisclosed number of infrastructure projects.

Citing the provisions of the General Appropriations Act, the official said the agency’s 2015 savings could be used to “augment infrastructure projects or programs during the current year,” in contrast to previous years when savings had to be turned over to the National Treasury.

The DPWH earlier reported that “reformed public works processes resulted in the elimination of waste and the curbing of corruption.” The agency also implemented “a more prudent and objective selection of projects,” and made sure that the program of work contained detailed estimates of cost to prevent “the indiscriminate release of funds.”

Singson also asked the agency’s regional and district engineers, among other field personnel, to be transparent in the conduct of biddings, reminding them that it should always be competitive.

“There should be no collusion, no favors, no riggings and no negotiated contracts,” he stressed.

The agency said it would prioritize rehabilitation over preventive maintenance of the country’s P1.2-trillion road network in the last year of the current administration.