Ex-DPWH chief Singson: Flood projects 'chop-chopped' to fall under district engineers

Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief Rogelio Singson said Wednesday flood control projects were being "chop-chopped" into smaller projects so they would fall under the authority of district engineers instead of the central and regional offices.

"Wala nang umaabot sa central office ngayon. Halos hindi na rin umaabot sa regional director. Lahat under the district engineer. Kaya kung may P1-billion project, icha-chop-chop na nila 'yan na tig-P150 million para hindi na umakyat," Singson said told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview.

(No project reaches the central office anymore. It almost doesn't even reach the regional director. Everything is under the district engineer. So if there's a P1-billion project, they'll chop it up by P150 million so it doesn't go up to higher offices.)

"Alam naman natin 'yung district engineer napaka-vulnerable nyan sa political interference. District, nasa congressman, nasa governor, lahat na 'yan," he added.

(We know that the district engineer is very vulnerable to political interference. It's in the district, under the congressman, under the governor, all of them.)

Based on DPWH Department Order 250 Series of 2022, district engineering offices are authorized to handle projects with a budget of up to P150 million, regional offices with up to P400 million, and the central office with above P400 million. 

However, the order noted that "splitting of plans and [program of works] for critical infrastructure projects to phases, just to fit the delegated authority of the concerned implementing office, shall not be allowed" for district and regional offices.

Singson served as the DPWH chief from July 2010 to June 2016 under the administration of the late Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III.

He noted that during his time, the budget for flood control projects was only up to P64 billion, which is lower compared to the P350 billion in 2025.

For Singson, the government's current probe into the flood control projects has yet to become in-depth. He suggested that the investigation focus on where the P200 billion insertions went.

Singson also suggested for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to suspend all flood control projects.  — VDV, GMA Integrated News