Palace: Over 60 contractors may be blacklisted due to anomalous infra projects

Over 60 contractors may be blacklisted for their alleged involvement in anomalous infrastructure projects, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked for updates on how many contractors were already blacklisted due to their questionable practices.

Quoting the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), an attached agency of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Castro said a total of 16 contractors are already in the process of being blacklisted.

“According sa PCAB po, 16 po ang ongoing na proseso para sa blacklisting ng mga contractor na sangkot sa maanomalyang infrastructure projects at apat sa kanila po ay sigurado na pong na-revoke ang kanilang lisensiya. At ayon naman din po sa DPWH ay hihigit sa 60 contractors ang maaaring ma-blacklist,” Castro said. 

(According to the PCAB, 16 are already in the process of being blacklisted and four of them will surely have their licenses revoked. And according to DPWH, more than 60 contractors will be blacklisted.) 

She assured that the government’s infrastructure projects will not be affected even if some contractors are blacklisted.

“Pero ang sabi po ng Pangulo, kahit po magkakaroon tayo ng blacklisting ng ibang mga contractor ay hindi po maaapektuhan ang tuluy-tuloy na pagsasagawa ng mga imprastraktura sa bansa natin dahil marami pa po na mga contractor na masasabi natin na maaayos magtrabaho,” she said.

(Even if there is a blacklisting of some contractors, the President said this won’t affect the continuous implementation of infrastructure projects in our country because there are other contractors who perform their jobs well.)

Earlier, House public accounts panel chairperson Terry Ridon urged the PCAB to ensure that blacklisted contractors involved in the flood control mess won’t be able to make their way back to securing government contracts.

The President also ordered government agencies to guarantee that contractors that performed well in implementing infrastructure projects are immediately paid for their services.

Castro said this emphasized the government’s firm resolve to improve the economy after it initiated the investigation of anomalous flood control projects. — JMA, GMA Integrated News