The blacklisting of contractors linked to anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects will not disrupt the Marcos administration’s infrastructure program, Malacañang said Tuesday, citing sufficient capacity among compliant builders.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said 16 contractors are undergoing blacklisting proceedings based on data from the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, with four firms already stripped of their licenses.
“Even if some contractors are blacklisted, the continuous implementation of infrastructure projects nationwide will not be affected,” Castro said, noting that many capable and compliant contractors remain.
She said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the prompt payment of contractors who deliver quality work to encourage honest participation in government projects.
Separately, the Department of Public Works and Highways urged the Catholic Church, civil society groups, and the public to help monitor infrastructure projects.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the participation of the Church, particularly the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)–Caritas, civil society organizations (CSOs), and local communities is crucial in ensuring that infrastructure projects are properly implemented and felt by ordinary Filipinos.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson added the President’s directive could help prevent an infrastructure slowdown.
The President’s order to facilitate the payment of outstanding obligations to contractors who delivered on their contracted government projects will help prevent a looming infrastructure crisis brought about by the ongoing reforms in the DPWH in the proper utilization of the national budget,” he said.
Earlier, Lacson said the DPWH should be prepared to deal with contractors unwilling to participate in project bidding, particularly at a time when construction material costs have declined.
