At A Glance
- DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon signs memorandum opening projects to public audit.
- Citizen Participatory Audit allows citizens and CSOs to access and monitor infrastructure projects.
- CPA Plan includes consultations, capacity building, and regular reporting.
- Stricter penalties to be imposed on officials and contractors violating flood control and drainage guidelines.
- Program aims to institutionalize transparency and public oversight in DPWH projects.
Department of Public Works and and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince B. Dizon (Trixee Rosel/MANILA BULLETIN)
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon has signed a memorandum granting citizens and civil society organizations (CSOs) full access to monitor the agency’s infrastructure projects from procurement to completion.
The initiative, known as the Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA), allows Filipinos to access official records and information on DPWH projects, ensuring transparency at every stage.
Under the memorandum, the DPWH will identify areas for possible partnership with citizens and CSOs through consultations and dialogues.
A CPA Plan will be developed with input from representatives of all DPWH offices and subsequently implemented, with resources, systems, and training provided to support public monitoring.
CSOs will be engaged in procurement and project implementation, while regular reports will track the effectiveness of the CPA Plan.
“All civil society organizations across the country, whether national or local, will participate in auditing and monitoring all DPWH projects from bidding to completion,” Dizon said.
He acknowledged past challenges in obtaining information.
“From what I have been hearing, especially from our friends in the media, it was very difficult in the past to obtain information from the DPWH. This is one of our first steps to make access easier,” Dizon said.
Dizon also admitted that lack of transparency in DPWH processes contributed to irregularities in flood control projects, stressing that reforms are crucial to prevent similar issues.
He announced plans to impose stricter penalties on contractors and officials who violate guidelines in flood control, drainage, and slope protection projects.
“These rules were clearly not followed. For instance, we discovered flood control projects that were planned but never implemented. We will impose very strict and severe penalties,” Dizon said.
Through the CPA program, Dizon said the DPWH aims to institutionalize public oversight as a permanent feature, ensuring projects are completed efficiently, transparently, and free from corruption.