Consult with LGUs to curb public works corruption, DPWH urged

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to work closely with local government units (LGUs) on its infrastructure projects

Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on finance, cited the importance of a thorough review of all project proposals for the 2027 budget, with concerned LGUs involved at the outset.

He expressed optimism that this policy reform is key to curbing corruption and ensuring that projects meet community needs.

“Many projects suddenly appear in communities without the knowledge of local officials,” Gatchalian said, citing a multi-billion-peso flood control initiative in Oriental Mindoro, wherein local executives were reportedly kept in the dark.

Gatchalian made the statement during the latest hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the corruption scandal involving flood control projects implemented by the DPWH.

He said the DPWH should consult with LGUs even before a project is listed in the National Expenditure Program (NEP), the government’s detailed spending blueprint.

Gatchalian also noted that only around 35% of projects in the NEP are endorsed by Regional Development Councils (RDCs) under the Department of Economic Planning and Development (DEPDev).

“We need to avoid uncoordinated projects. Ideally, these projects should receive RDC approval first,” he said, emphasizing that such steps would make infrastructure programs more transparent and responsive to citizens’ needs.

Gatchalian is referring to the Regional Development Council, the highest policy-making and coordinating body in a region for socio-economic development.

Under the law, the RDC is mandated to ensure that development projects are coordinated, regionally relevant, and aligned with national priorities, acting as a bridge between national agencies such as the DPWH and local governments.