|
By Manny T. Ugalde, Correspondent
LEGAZPI CITY: The controversial public works and
highways in Bicol has not had any formal meeting with the local
press for almost seven years now, and media practitioners are asking
the agency to regularly inform the public how billions of funds
poured into the region are being spent.
Dubbed as the agency most affected by
so-called man-made calamity, then-Albay Governor Fernando Gonzales
refused to insulate the agency from media criticisms, saying the
agency’s track record in implementing the multimillion Mount Mayon
dredging project at an average of 25 percent was rather dismal.
Also offended by incessant reports pf unabated
graft and corruption in dredging projects, even Bishop Lucilo
Quiambao of the Diocese of Legazpi led a rally in front of the dpwh
regional office assailing its “addiction to juicy dredging
projects” instead of encouraging the use of manpower to generate
employment.
Gonzales had long been demanding that the dpwh
explain to the public the dredging issue that has reached scandalous
proportions when billions of funds that went into it did not even
help in protecting residents from lahar and mudflows from Mount
Mayon when supertyphoon Reming hit the region on November 30, 2006
and killed close to 2,000 people.
To reinforce his attack against the dpwh,
Gonzales even paid radio stations during the May election period to
regularly announce a list of dpwh projects allocated in barangays so
that residents would be able to monitor them. Gonzales lamented that
instead of releasing funds after the election, the government
released them during the election period amounting to billions,
including the funds for Calamity Assistance Rehabilitation Efforts,
suspected to have been used for election purposes.
Despite these controversies, the agency has
never called a press conference to explain its stand or clarify
issues.
Assistant Regional Director for Operation Oscar
Cristobal said while he had always welcomed meeting with members of
media, it was Regional Director Orlando Roces who had thought
otherwise.
Albay district engineer Manuel Azurin said he
welcomes meeting the press regularly either monthly or at least on a
quarterly basis saying the last time the dpwh-Bicol had its press
conference was in 2001 during the time of regional director Eleno
Colinares whom Roces had succeeded in 2002.
Azurin suggested that the “meet the press”
should coincide with the monthly meeting of district engineers so
that they could explain their respective infrastructure projects.
Roces, who is branded as one of the dpwh’s
wealthiest regional directors, earned the label of “super
contractor.” At least three major construction organizations in
the region had jointly written President Gloria Arroyo a few years
back demanding that dpwh-Bicol be freed from so-called inside
contractors.
The beleaguered regional director had denied any
irregularities though and with his district engineers in the region
questioning his management style, Roces had earlier opted for an
early retirement to escape pressures from lawmakers.
|
