THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will oversee the construction of P1.8 billion worth of low-cost housing for informal settlers in Metro Manila and two other regions.
In issuing Special Order 39, dated Jan. 22, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon directed the DPWH regional offices in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) or Region 4A, and Central Luzon (Region 3) for the smooth implementation of the housing projects in their jurisdictions.
The projects are under the Comprehensive and Integrated Housing Program (CIHP) and Resettlement Program for Informal Settler Families (ISFs) to be implemented by the National Housing Authority (NHA) and funded under Republic Act (RA) 12116, or the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2025.
In the NCR, three CIHP projects worth P700 million will be built in the cities of San Juan (P3 00 million), Manila (P200 million), and Navotas (P200 million).
In Region 4A, housing units for ISFs will be constructed in Rosario, Batangas (P300 million); Naic, Cavite (P300 million); and Bacoor City, Cavite (P200 million).
The DPWH will oversee another ISF project in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, worth P300 million.
Dizon said the DPWH regional offices should coordinate with the NHA and other concerned agencies in implementing the projects.
Regional offices will also be in charge of monitoring and supervising project planning, procurement, and construction activities to ensure compliance with approved plans, specifications, timelines, and applicable laws, rules and regulations.
The regional offices were also tasked with the validation of physical accomplishments and project status; addressing implementation issues and bottlenecks; ensuring the regular monitoring and enforcement of the submission of liquidation reports and other financial accountability documents; and the submission of regular progress, financial and accomplishment reports to the appropriate offices.
Dizon gave assurances the DPWH will implement the right price of government infrastructure projects without compromising its quality and orderliness.
He issued the order following the issuance of the construction materials price data (CMPD), which uses existing market value in determining the prices of construction material in all government projects.
Dizon said the special issuance of the CMPD is in line with a department order that sets the guidelines and procedures for the establishment of construction materials prices, labor rates and equipment rental rates.
Effective immediately, the cost of construction materials for all government infrastructure projects will be based on prevailing market prices.
Dizon noted that prior to the CMPD, there was a marked difference of up to 50 percent between the cost of materials in DPWH projects and the actual market value, one of the root causes of corruption in government projects.
The cost-cutting measure, he said, will give the government a P60 billion savings, which could be spent on building an additional 1,600 kilometers of concrete road and 1,000 additional kilometers of asphalt overlay.
