Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on Friday suspended all road reblocking activities across the country, citing concerns over possible corruption in such projects.
“Effective immediately, I am suspending all reblocking activities,” Dizon said in a news briefing. He said he would issue a new department order on reblocking that would include safeguards to avoid corruption.
Dizon ordered the suspension following reports of questionable road projects in Bocaue, Bulacan and Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. He clarified that the suspension does not affect maintenance work on roads that are already damaged.
He also announced that the agency would issue a department order lowering the threshold of the “levels of authorities” (LOA) for the procurement of civil works, including flood control projects.
The threshold for LOA procurement for civil works had been increased to P400 million at the regional level from P300 million, and to P150 million at the district level from P100 million in 2022.
Dizon said the increase was allowed by former Public Works Secretaries Manuel Bonoan and Mark Villar.
Dizon said the agency would also implement transparency reform measures, including a citizen participatory audit and a transparency portal.
He encouraged all civil society organizations to participate in the audit and monitoring of DPWH projects.
The agency earlier confirmed that at least 421, or over 5 percent, of some eight thousand infrastructure projects nationwide do not exist, making them “ghost projects.”
