DPWH reshuffles district engineers amid flood control mess

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan has implemented personnel movement affecting officials in the district and regional offices in light of the investigation into the alleged anomalies in the flood control projects. 

Bonoan said the regional director of Region 4B, as well as the Regional Office of Assistant District Engineers and section chiefs of Batangas 1st District Engineering Office had been reassigned.

Also affected by Bonoan's directive were the following officials: 

 • Engr. Vivian Biaco was named Officer-in-Charge of the District Engineer’s Office in Catanduanes, Region V, replacing Engr. Simon Arias.

 • Engr. Leonardo Gonzales was reassigned as Assistant District Engineer for Albay 2nd District, vice Engr. Joanne Morales.

 • Engr. Joanne Morales moved to Albay 3rd District as Officer-in-Charge, Office of the Assistant District Engineer, vice Engr. Gonzales.

 • Engr. Editha Babaran was designated Officer-in-Charge of the Regional Director’s Office for Region IV-B, replacing Engr. Gerald Pacanan, who was reassigned to the central office.

 • Engr. Ronalyn Ubiña took over as Officer-in-Charge, Assistant Regional Director for Region II, vice Engr. Babaran.

The reassignments are part of the agency’s ongoing organizational adjustments meant to ensure impartiality and effectiveness in project delivery, according to the DPWH.

The agency cited its authority under Executive Order No. 124, series of 1987, which empowers the Secretary of Public Works and Highways to designate officers-in-charge and reassign personnel “in the interest of service and good governance.”

"Gusto nating managot ng dapat managot, makulong ang dapat makulong. Sa katunayan, may mga ilang aksyon na tayong ginawa para matugunan ng iba't ibang isyu,'' Bonoan said in a video message.

(We want to hold accountable those who should be held accountable, to imprison those who should be imprisoned. In fact, we have already taken several actions to address various issues.)

The agency is also currently validating the existence of flood control projects in Bulacan and other provinces in Regions 3, 4B, 6, 7, and 8.

Prior to this, the department already formed an Anti-Corruption Task Force to encourage the public to report questionable projects of the DPWH.

It has also issued preventive suspension of the district offices involved in ghost projects, including the Bulacan First District Engineering Office, from its District Engineer, Assistant District Engineer and section chiefs; and the District Engineer of the Batangas 1st District Engineering Office who allegedly tried to bribe Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste.

Amid calls for him to resign, Bonoan, in the video message, said it is not the proper approach to address the alleged corruption within the DPWH.

"Meron nga nananawagan sa akin na ako po raw ay mag-leave o kaya po ay mag-resign dahil po sa isyung ito. 'Yan po sana ang madaling gawin, mag-resign o talikuran ko ang problema. Pero hindi po ang pag-alis o pag-iwas ng responsibilidad ang tamang paraan ng paghahanap ng solusyon," he said.

(Some have called on me to leave or resign because of this issue. To resign or turn my back on the problem is an easy thing to do. But leaving or avoiding responsibility is not the right way to find a solution.)

"Sa akin po, tatanggapin ko ang accountability pero tandaan po ninyo, hindi ko po kukunsintihin at papayagan ang anumang uri ng korupsyon na nangyayari," Bonoan added.

(As for me, I will accept accountability but remember that I will not tolerate or allow any kind of corruption to occur.)

In his State of the Nation Address last July, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. served notice to government personnel who steal public funds, such as those for flood control projects, that they will be dealt with under the law.

"Kamakailan lang, nag-inspeksyon ako sa naging epekto ng Habagat at bagyong Crising, Dante at Emong. Kitang-kita ko, maraming proyekto sa flood control mga palpak at 'yung iba, guni-guni lang," Marcos said during his fourth State of the Nation Address.

(Just recently, I inspected the effects of the Southwest Monsoon and the tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong. I saw that there were many flood control projects that were not of good quality and others were nonexistent but were just in the imagination.)

Marcos has ordered lifestyle checks on all officials amid the investigation into anomalous flood control projects, the Palace said last Wednesday. —KG/VBL, GMA Integrated News