SENATOR Risa Hontiveros has questioned the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for their lack of coordination with local government units (LGUs) in flood control projects – as seen in Quezon City, where only 2 out of 254 flood control projects were approved by city authorities.
During the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probe on anomalous flood control projects, Hontiveros asked DPWH officials to explain why the department failed to coordinate with Quezon City authorities in hundreds of flood control projects, in violation of the Local Government Code and DPWH policies.
“Can flood control projects really be made without coordination with the LGU? At kung kailangan naman ng coordination, eh bakit po maraming proyekto ang hindi nagko-coordinate sa mga LGUs?” Hontiveros said.
She pointed to Quezon City where only 16 out of 254 DPWH flood control projects applied for the certificate of coordination required by the city government. Of these, only two projects later secured final approval from the city authorities. Incidentally, the city saw massive floods recently after a thunderstorm last August 30.
The “lack of basic coordination with local officials,” the senator said, is lessening oversight and enabling irregularities, noting the case of two planned pumping stations in Barangays Moriblo and Santa Cruz in Quezon City – which were suspiciously placed in the same location, have similar project costs, and have the same contractor.
Responding to Hontiveros, DPWH NCR Regional Director Gerard Opulencia admitted that flood control projects proceeded despite having no clearance from the Quezon City government.
“So kasalanan nito ng QC Gov?! Hindi! Iba yung sinasabi ni Mayor Joy (Belmonte) eh. 254 flood control projects, dalawa lang ang cino-ordinate sa Quezon City Hall. So how does DPWH-NCR explain that?” Hontiveros stressed.
DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral also told Hontiveros that the department has been reminding their regional offices about their mandate to coordinate with LGUs in the implementation of infrastructure projects, especially those related to flood control.
Hontiveros later said that she will vigorously “pursue the issue,” and other shenanigans by DPWH regional offices, in the next hearing of the Senate flood control probe. (UnliNews Online)
