THE chairman of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), Andres Reyes Jr., recently announced that the body is “wrapping up” and is set to permanently shut down at the end of this month.
Reyes’ announcement was somewhat expected. However, the ending underscores the sad fate that this once-promising initiative of the government has suffered. It began on a high-note, creating hope that justice would eventually be meted out to parties guilty of the alleged conspiracy to pocket billions in public funds intended for flood control projects.
Such hope was watered down following the exit of two of its commissioners — former Public Works secretary Rogelio Singson and former SGV country managing partner Rosanna Fajardo. Both appeared to have been exasperated by an apparent lack of power and support needed for the ICI to produce results.
For the past few months, the ICI quietly slipped out of the headlines. The public knew that its impending demise was just a matter of time. Despite this, we must salute former Justice Reyes for staying on and finishing whatever the crippled body can.
The task of resolving the infrastructure controversy is now left in the hands of two government officials: Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon.
Remulla will pursue the punitive track. We hope he succeeds in handcuffing and sending the guilty parties to jail.
Dizon is now pursuing what are called the “reparative” and “preventive” tracks. On the “preventive” track, he will ensure that systems are in place to prevent the massive looting of the public coffers from happening again in the future.
On the “reparative” track, Dizon is now making sure that the projects involved in the mess are restored and repaired following the damage sustained due to poor workmanship. He has also ordered that similar projects that did not conform with agreed-upon specifications are redone or remediated — at the expense of the private contractors.
Both Dizon’s “reparative” and “preventive” approaches are proving to be bright spots and are earning kudos from various sectors.
News going around construction industry circles and the public works sector is that several contractors whose flood control projects have been evaluated as “substandard” have now started making up for the errors.
The development followed Dizon’s pronouncement that he is bent on enforcing provisions in public works contracts which covers failure to meet project standards. Dizon called attention to the bonds and guarantees that come with the award of the projects, and underscored that he is determined to enforce them. Repair the projects at your expense, not the taxpayers’, Dizon made it clear to the contractors involved.
The good news is that there are already a number of such projects undergoing repair and remediation. We heard that a number of contractors did not have to wait for a direct order from Dizon and proceeded to correct the errors in their projects.
There are indications that other contractors with “substandard”-tagged projects will follow suit and undertake reparative measures on their own and at their own expense. This is a good move. By taking the initiative, they can avoid costly litigation and enable the flood control projects to do their job of protecting the public during the heavy downpour season.
Dizon is proving that the “reparative” approach is vital to the resolution of this mess.
Let us not forget the “preventive” track. The “punitive” and the “reparative” approaches will amount to nothing if the same malpractices at the infrastructure sector continue. They have to be mitigated or, at best, eliminated.
This is why the first-of-its-kind transparency portal set up by Dizon at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was much lauded. Here, every citizen can track the progress of big-ticket projects and even report suspected irregularities.
Even as this initiative strengthens transparency, Dizon may also want to take a closer look at the revised DPWH materials costing for upcoming projects. Contractors have expressed concern that the figures appear too low and out of step with current market realities, making some reluctant to bid as the agency budget for the contract may not sufficiently cover actual costs.
Addressing both transparency and cost realism will be crucial. Dizon’s “reparative” and “preventive” strategies, taken together, should help restore public confidence in our public works agencies — something the country urgently needs at this time.
