 over calls to secure another loan to address){kind=link}
NOT SO FAST, says Senator Panfilo Lacson to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) over calls to secure another loan to address the country’s “aging and dilapidating flood control system.”
In an interview with a digital news platform hosted by Korina Sanchez, Lacson rebuked DPWH’s claim that the supposed “aging and dilapidating flood control system” should not entirely be blamed for the massive floods in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and other parts of the country.
This comes as Lacson hinted at “what looks more like ghost projects,” which according to the senator could be just a tip of the iceberg.
‘[H]alf-bake” and “no bake at all” (meant) … that some of their projects didn’t meet stipulated specifications — and in some instances, were just “photo ops” showing a backhoe on the river.’
GHOST SPOTTED
To start with, the legislator hinted at a P200-million “ghost flood control project,” for which he cited the need for a “congressional investigation in aid of legislation.”
“Meron kaming meeting ng mga staff kasi binubuo ko yung aking isasagawang privilege speech tungkol sa mga flood control projects all over the country. At mukhang may natisod na at least isang ghost project,” Lacson told the program anchor.
“Bina-validate pa namin pero parang doon papunta na halagang almost P200 million. Wala naman nagawang proyekto. So chine-check namin, nire-recheck kung ito ba ghost project talaga o mali lang yung lugar na napuntahan ng aking team,” he added.
OPEN SECRET
In an exclusive interview with The PH Insider, a private contractor engaged in government flood control projects admitted that most of the contracts he secured during the previous administration were either “half-baked” or “no bake at all.”
When asked what he meant by “half-bake” and “no bake at all,” the contractor explained that some of their projects didn’t meet stipulated specifications — and in some instances, were just “photo ops” showing a backhoe on the river.
“Sa dami at laki ba naman ng kailangan bigyan, maski sinong kontratista mapipilitan tipirin and project cost… otherwise malulugi pa kami. There’s not much we can do, nakareflect yun sa BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) report namin.”
“Yung sa ghost projects, baliktad, kami naman ang may komisyon, 80 percent of the project cost sa kanila yun,” he added.
BREEDING GRAFT
For the longest time, the DPWH has been a subject of public scrutiny over a culture of corruption embarking on alleged kickbacks from various infrastructure projects, including flood control programs.
In a report released by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) during the previous administration, DPWH topped the list of 10 most corrupt government agencies.
Then PACC chairman Dante Jimenez said the commission received 411 complaints, 59 of which were classified as “verified.”
“Verifiable complaints are complaints supported by documents whose veracity can be readily checked. The Department of Public Works and Highways had the most number of verifiable complaints received, topping the list,” Jimenez said.
The DPWH Secretary then was Mark Villar, now a sitting senator.
TEMPLATE ALIBIS
Responding to Lacson’s statement, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan assured the public that the supposed ”ghost” flood control projects, as claimed by Sen. Lacson, would be validated and investigated.
”This is something that we have to validate po kung mayroong ghost project na sinasabi kasi one to one ‘to eh. Kung halimbawa, nirereport namin at hindi makita ‘yung project na ‘yan then that’s the only time we can see na mayroong ghost project,” Bonoan said in a radio interview.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier vowed that his allies would not be spared if found to be involved in corruption on flood control projects.
Marcos warned government personnel who steal public funds, such as those for flood control projects, that they will be dealt with under the law.
CHECK AND BALANCE
Interestingly, the DPWH admitted that it has no monitoring system in place for some flood control projects — specifically those inserted by lawmakers into the national budget without undergoing technical vetting.
However, a check by The PH Insider showed that the DPWH has an Infra-Track App, which uses geotagging and drone monitoring of the agency’s infrastructure projects.
Other than the Infra-Track App, the DPWH also has a Civil Works App which verifies and validates legal, technical and financial requirements primarily designed to eliminate human intervention in compliance monitoring.
The DPWH has also adopted a centralized database system referred to as Project and Contract Management Application capable of providing “real-time” field updates and accelerated analysis and problem resolution at the project or contract level and full analytics at the construction program level.