By Farah G. Decano

 

MY conversation with a Commission On Audit (COA) Supervisor quickly transitioned from a routine client query to a deep dive into the controversial Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects. What she revealed highlighted a significant disconnect between national infrastructure goals and local governance.

The supervisor voiced profound sadness regarding the persistent lack of coordination between the DPWH’s flood control projects and the Local Government Units (LGUs). She explained that many LGU officials are blindsided, often surprised to discover that major projects have been initiated—or even fully completed—without their prior knowledge or input.

This alarming gap in oversight prompted her to suggest a crucial safeguard to avoid payment to contractors of substandard projects: before LGUs formally accept any DPWH project, they should immediately seek the assistance of COA’s Technical Audit Specialists (TAS).

These specialists—engineers by profession, based in the COA Regional office—are uniquely positioned to inspect the materials and assess the structural integrity of the infrastructure.

However, the reality of the COA’s capacity to perform this vital role is sobering.

In Pangasinan, for example, only four (4) Engineers are currently assigned as TAS to cover the entire province. When I asked the supervisor how many support staff are assigned to each engineer, her answer was stark: none.

This resource limitation raises serious questions about the effectiveness of project oversight. How can a single individual accurately conduct rigorous infrastructure testing—from measuring and surveying to material checks—without so much as a person “to hold the other end of a measuring tape”?

Furthermore, how can one engineer maintain true independence in the evaluation of a project when the only other officials present during inspection are those from the DPWH and the project’s contractor?

The current operational constraints risk making the COA’s technical audit more symbolic than substantive.

It is time for new rules and policies to be formulated that address this oversight gap, ensuring robust accountability from DPWH officials and guaranteeing the effectiveness of COA personnel who are tasked with protecting public funds and safety.

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The time for waiting is over. We are demanding that our elected officials immediately convene a more inclusive public consultation with all affected sectors to finally address and find solutions for our locality’s devastating flood issues.

Our leaders must drop the pretense of having all the answers. The arrogance of claiming a monopoly on expertise has left our homes under water year after year.

We are not just voters; we are the foundation of this community. We were born here, we built our lives and businesses here, and we have the most to lose from this crisis.

Our commitment to this locality is absolute, unlike some politicians whose only interest is power and whose choice of actual habitation  seems to be a comfortable villa far away in Manila.

Let us be heard! Why do we feel so disempowered and ignored by the people we elected? Don’t they remember we are the source of their authority?

The continuing refusal to hold a transparent public consultation suggests only one thing: self-preservation.

An open forum will inevitably expose the truth—be it their negligence, their outright ignorance of the problem, or, worst of all, their corruption. They are protecting themselves, not the public.

Our lives, our businesses, and our future are at stake. Stop delaying and face your constituents.

If you have done nothing wrong, why are you afraid of a general consultation?

We are wondering, “Kung walang maling ginawa, bakit kayo takot sa isang pangkalahatang konsultasyon?”

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