Amid the reforms put in place for this year’s budget, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) must prepare to deal with contractors who are not willing to participate in the bidding of projects due to lower costs of construction materials, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.
Lacson said this is especially true for contractors used to huge profits because of their early advances to some legislators and DPWH and other officials, after the National Expenditure Program (NEP) was finalized.
“The DPWH should anticipate how to deal with contractors ‘unwilling’ to participate in the bidding of projects due to reduced cost of construction materials. Their early advances to legislators after the NEP was finalized will not help obviate a looming infrastructure crisis,” he said on his X account.
In Filipino: Lacson sa DPWH: Humanda sa Mga ‘Magmamatigas’ na Kontratista
When critics of government can “fire at will”, not through underground media outlets but openly, to say that the country is under ‘de facto’ martial law is not only full of holes, but the hole itself.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) January 28, 2026
During the hearings of the Blue Ribbon Committee which he presided over, as well as his scrutiny of the current and past national budgets, Lacson uncovered an elaborate system of kickbacks involving flood control and other infrastructure projects.
The setup was shown to benefit some contractors, lawmakers and officials, including those from the DPWH.
He bared details of the brazen kickbacks in two privilege speeches last year.
On the other hand, the Blue Ribbon hearings played a major role in the building of cases against several of the personalities involved.
Several reforms have also been put in place in the 2026 budget, including that of the DPWH, in the wake of the investigation.
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Lacson sa DPWH: Humanda sa Mga ‘Magmamatigas’ na Kontratista
Sa gitna ng mga repormang ipinatupad para sa badyet ngayong taon, sinabihan ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) na dapat paghandaan nito ang posibleng pagtanggi ng ilang kontratista na lumahok sa bidding ng mga proyekto dahil sa mas mababang halaga ng construction materials.
Ani Lacson, may mga kontratistang nasanay sa malalaking kita, lalo na ang mga nagbibigay ng “advance” na bayad sa ilang mambabatas at opisyal ng DPWH at ibang ahensya, matapos ma-finalize ang National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“The DPWH should anticipate how to deal with contractors ‘unwilling’ to participate in the bidding of projects due to reduced cost of construction materials. Their early advances to legislators after the NEP was finalized will not help obviate a looming infrastructure crisis,” aniya sa kanyang X account.
Sa mga pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee na kanyang pinamunuan, gayundin sa masusing pagsusuri niya sa kasalukuyan at mga nakaraang pambansang badyet, nabunyag ni Lacson ang isang masalimuot na sistema ng kickbacks na kinasasangkutan ng mga flood control at iba pang infrastructure projects.
Lumalabas sa pagsusuri na nakinabang dito ang ilang kontratista, mambabatas, at mga opisyal – kabilang ang mga galing sa DPWH.
Isiniwalat ni Lacson ang mga detalye ng naturang garapalang kickbacks sa dalawang privilege speeches na kanyang inihain noong nakaraang taon.
Samantala, malaki rin ang naging papel ng mga pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa pagbuo ng mga kaso laban sa ilan sa mga personalidad na sangkot sa isyu.
Kasunod ng imbestigasyon, ilang reporma ang isinama sa 2026 national budget, kabilang ang mga pagbabago sa badyet ng DPWH.
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