PCAB: Contractor licenses are not for sale

The Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) said Thursday that their licenses were not for sale.

In a statement, PCAB assured the integrity of their licensing system following reports of irregularities in licensing and accreditation of contractors.

“The Board has not authorized any individual, group, or third-party consultant to act on its behalf or to guarantee contractor accreditation in exchange for money,”  the statement read.

On Wednesday, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson alleged that PCAB has been seeking payments for the accreditation of private contractors of government projects for as low as P2 million.

PCAB is an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and is one of the implementing boards in the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP). 

In its statement, PCAB continued that they are proactively addressing issues on alleged “shortcuts” for PCAB licenses being offered for certain fees.

“We encourage contractors and the public to remain vigilant and to deal only through PCAB’s official channels. Any suspicious offers or misrepresentations should be reported to the Board so that appropriate action may be taken,” PCAB added. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News