DPWH to look into 'ghost' farm-to-market road projects—Palace
Palace Press Officer and PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro (Betheena Unite)
Alleged "ghost" farm-to-market road projects are being looked into, Malacañang said.
This after the Department of Agriculture (DA) stumbled upon substandard and non-existent farm-to-market road projects across two provinces in Mindanao.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said that Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon has already confirmed that they are now looking into the alleged ghost projects.
"Opo, nakausap ko rin po si Secretary Vince kaninang umaga, at sinabi po niya na ito po din ay tinututukan nila dahil dapat ito po ay magawan talaga ng paraan sa lalong madaling panahon (Yes, I also spoke with Secretary Vince this morning, and he said that they are closely monitoring this matter because it really needs to be addressed at the soonest possible time)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Castro also made an assurance that all cases of anomalies, including the alleged non-existent and substandard farm-to-market roads, will be investigated.
"Katulad po ng sinabi natin, lahat ng mga ganitong klase na may anomalya hindi lamang po sa flood control projects kung hindi sa lahat ng infrastructure, iyan po ay tututukan (As we have said, all cases of anomalies, not only in flood control projects but in all infrastructure, are being looked into)," Castro said.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said on Monday that the agency discovered anomalous agriculture road projects in the provinces of Davao Occidental and Zamboanga del Norte.
Laurel said that these projects were allegedly constructed under the supervision of the DPWH in 2021 and 2022.