Rather than outrightly and completely deny the “accreditation for sale” mess in flood control and other infrastructure projects, the Philippine Construction Accreditation Board (PCAB) should take an active role to address the problem, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.
Lacson said that while the PCAB issued a statement claiming the shortcuts-for-a-fee practice is the work of scammers, it has to explain how some contractors got their accreditation after paying up.
“Instead of merely denying reports of misconduct involving what they claim to be scammers misrepresenting them, PCAB leadership should look at their own people and police their ranks. For how can they explain why certain contractors who, after coughing up at least P2 million were actually issued accreditation by PCAB?” Lacson said.
“As they say, the test of the pudding is in the eating,” he added of the PCAB’s claim that maintaining the integrity of the PCAB licensing system remains its “foremost priority.”
In Filipino: Aksyon Higit sa Salita: Lacson, Tumugon sa Pagtanggi ng PCAB sa ‘Accreditation for Sale’
The PCAB is a government agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and is one of the implementing Boards in the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP).
Last Wednesday, Lacson cited information reaching him that the PCAB resorts to “accreditation for sale.” He said some private contractors he talked to narrated that the PCAB will take care of the paperwork, for a fee of P2 million for the first time.
Also, Senate minority leader Vicente Sotto III, in his interpellation of Lacson’s privilege speech on the flood control mess, noted that a contractor linked to a ghost project in Bulacan had its PCAB license renewed for 2025 to 2027.
PCAB also issues or renews the accreditation even of agencies that Sotto noted have a case before the Court of Tax Appeals, or allows Single A accreditation companies to get big projects, Lacson added.
On Thursday, PCAB issued a statement claiming there are “certain individuals and entities” on social media claiming to be connected with PCAB and offering “shortcuts” for a fee. It said it has been “proactive” in addressing these issues.
Lacson reiterated his challenge to PCAB to work with agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to coordinate in fighting the collusion behind substandard and ghost infrastructure projects.
“Dapat check and balance sa halip na collusion (There should be check and balance instead of collusion),” he said.
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Aksyon Higit sa Salita: Lacson, Tumugon sa Pagtanggi ng PCAB sa ‘Accreditation for Sale’
Sa halip na tuluyang at ganap na itanggi ang isyu ng “accreditation for sale” sa flood control at iba pang infrastructure projects, dapat gumanap ng aktibong papel ang Philippine Construction Accreditation Board (PCAB) upang tugunan ang problema, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.
Ani Lacson, bagamat naglabas ng pahayag ang PCAB na ang shortcuts-for-a-fee ay hindi nito gawain kundi ng mga scammer, dapat pa rin nitong ipaliwanag kung paano nakakuha ng accreditation ang ilang contractor matapos magbayad.
“Instead of merely denying reports of misconduct involving what they claim to be scammers misrepresenting them, PCAB leadership should look at their own people and police their ranks. For how can they explain why certain contractors who, after coughing up at least P2 million were actually issued accreditation by PCAB?” ani Lacson.
“As they say, the test of the pudding is in the eating,” dagdag niya, patungkol sa pahayag ng PCAB kung saan iginiit nitong prayoridad nito ang panatilihin ang integridad ng licensing system nito.
Ang PCAB ay isang ahensya ng pamahalaan na nasa ilalim ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) at isa sa mga implementing Boards ng Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP).
Noong Miyerkules, ibinunyag ni Lacson ang impormasyong nakarating sa kanya na ang PCAB ay nauugnay sa “accreditation for sale.” Aniya, ilang pribadong contractor na nakausap niya ang nagsabing kaya umanong asikasuhin ng PCAB ang mga papeles kapalit ng P2 milyon para sa unang pagkakataon.
Samantala, sa interpellation ni Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III sa privilege speech ni Lacson hinggil sa isyu ng flood control, binanggit nitong isang contractor na konektado sa isang ghost project sa Bulacan ay nabigyan pa ng PCAB license renewal para sa 2025 hanggang 2027.
Dagdag pa ni Lacson, nagbibigay o nagre-renew din ng accreditation ang PCAB kahit sa mga kumpanyang binanggit ni Sotto na may kaso sa Court of Tax Appeals, o pinapayagan ang mga kumpanyang may Single A accreditation na makakuha ng malalaking proyekto.
Noong Huwebes, naglabas ng pahayag ang PCAB na may mga “certain individuals and entities” umano sa social media na nagsasabing konektado sila sa PCAB at nag-aalok ng “shortcuts” kapalit ng bayad. Iginiit ng PCAB na sila ay naging “proactive” sa pagtugon sa ganitong mga isyu.
Muli ring iginiit ni Lacson ang kanyang hamon sa PCAB na makipagtulungan sa mga ahensya gaya ng Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) para sugpuin ang sabwatan sa likod ng mga substandard at ghost infrastructure projects.
“Dapat check and balance sa halip na collusion,” aniya.
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Good day good Senator!
..please allow me to introduce myself.
I’m a Mr. Philip G. Gille, Civil Engineer from DM Consunji (DPWH Accredited: Materials Engineer and Provisional Project Engineer) with more than 30 years in infrastructure project.
Your move in investigation of flood control projects is positive sign in crushing this collusion among the DPWH and Contractors.
Just to share that DE is only one of the people involve in the project (office boy), he has Project Engineer and Materials Engineer who will look the project in physical (you can see the lists of PE and ME in DPWH website).
Contractor also has PE and ME, however if they won the bidding they will not hire the PE and ME anymore because it will pay for their salary. Instead, they will connive with DPWH to produce all the billing documents faking the signatures of PE and ME.
In this, no one really monitors the project if it is conforming to the design, method of construction, specifications and quality control so the end result is substandard.
In case you need more question about the system in construction (not only flood controls), please do not hesitate to contact me at philipgille104@gmail.com
Thank you