At A Glance
- DPWH Secretary Manny Bonoan approved the rotation of district engineers nationwide on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
- Rotations follow a policy requiring transfers every three years to ensure accountability in flood control projects.
- Senator JV Ejercito urged probes into possible collusion between officials and private contractors.
- Inspections are ongoing, including a probe into St. Timothy Construction Corp., whose failed project in Calumpit, Bulacan, stranded residents in floodwaters.
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan (Photo: DPWH)
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan approved on Tuesday, Aug. 19, the rotation of district engineers nationwide as part of the stricter accountability in flood control projects.
The policy mandates district engineers to rotate every three years, following Senator JV Ejercito’s call for accountability for officials involved in ghost and fraudulent works.
Ejercito also urged authorities to investigate possible collusion between government officials and private contractors linked to irregularities in flood control projects.
“Ongoing naman. Actually marami kaming ni-rorotate ngayon na mga district engineers so I think, siguro napapanahon na nga siguro... Pag-isip-isipan namin 'yung mga ganyang pagro-rotate (It’s already ongoing. Actually, we are currently rotating many district engineers, so I think it might be timely. We will carefully consider such rotations,” Bonoan said),”Bonoan said.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. revealed that 20 percent of the P545-billion flood control budget was awarded to only 15 contractors, five of whom hold nationwide contracts.
He also launched a public portal for reporting questionable projects.
The DPWH chief confirmed he would attend the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
Inspections are already underway, including a probe into St. Timothy Construction Corp., whose failed project in Calumpit, Bulacan, left residents stranded in floodwaters for at least two weeks.