Ex-gov’t engineer accuses DPWH of diverting funds
A FORMER government engineer has accused the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) of diverting funds for its big infrastructure projects to small and irrelevant infrastructure projects.
In a three-page complaint letter addressed to the President, the former government engineer alleged that several funds originally designated for multibillion-peso projects funded under foreign assisted programs were allegedly being set aside by the DPWH.
De Guzman sounded the alarm after a lawmaker exposed the alleged fund manipulation in government agencies last year.
In a signed letter to the Malacanang, the former government engineer said there is a possible existence of a syndicate behind the illegal realignment of billions of pesos in funds of one of the largest departments for 2024.
The DPWH, which is tasked with providing and managing quality infrastructure facilities and services responsive to the needs of the Filipino people, is facing severe criticism for its alleged lapses in overseeing these projects.
Citing PD No. 1445, the former government engineer emphasized that “all resources of the government shall be managed, expended or utilized in accordance with laws and regulations, and safeguarded against loss or wastage through illegal or improper disposition, with a view to ensuring efficiency, economy and effectiveness in the operation of government.”
It will be recalled that former Senator Panfilo Lacson criticized the DPWH for allegedly slashing budgets for national projects while local ones had been provided additional funding, which he said does not jive with the administration’s budget theme of Reset, Rebound, and Recover.
The former senator said the DPWH should not have made amendments to its budget since doing so is the sole function of Congress.
