By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has endorsed public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a potentially better way to deliver large and complicated government infrastructure projects while the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undergoes a major overhaul.
Dizon said Sunday that he agreed with Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla’s call to consider PPPs for major government facilities, particularly while the DPWH works to repair what he described as weaknesses in its internal systems and institutional culture.
The Public Works chief said PPPs could offer government a combination of faster project delivery, better quality and greater cost efficiency when properly designed and implemented.
His backing came as the DPWH faces mounting scrutiny over the implementation of government infrastructure projects, including controversial flood-control works.
Dizon did not mince words in discussing the delayed Bureau of Immigration building, a project with a reported cost of more than P8 billion.
He expressed frustration over both the delay and the quality of the project’s design, singling out a basic feature that he said should never have passed scrutiny.
“The design is so poorly executed that the driveway can barely accommodate normal-sized vehicles,” Dizon said, describing the situation as unacceptable.
The criticism reinforced Remulla’s broader concern that some government-built facilities fail to match the quality and practicality of comparable structures available in the private sector.
The Ombudsman had suggested that government should examine the possibility of acquiring suitable existing private buildings rather than automatically building new facilities from the ground up.
The proposed headquarters of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) could likewise be reconsidered.
Dizon said he would personally discuss the matter with NBI Director Melvin Matibag and indicated that the DPWH was prepared to stop the current project if a more practical solution could be found.
He said the department was willing to allow the NBI to pursue alternatives that would better serve its operational requirements.
The position reflects a growing push within government to question whether new construction is always the most economical or efficient answer for major public facilities.
For Dizon, the issue goes beyond individual projects.
The DPWH is under pressure to address alleged irregularities in infrastructure spending, particularly flood-control projects, as the government moves to tighten oversight and restore confidence in the agency.
Dizon has also called on the public to report unfinished government projects as part of efforts to identify problems on the ground.
He said the DPWH would cooperate with the Office of the Ombudsman in pursuing institutional reforms.
“We will always support Ombudsman Remulla and his ideas for reform,” Dizon said.
He added that the department would aggressively work with the Ombudsman to implement reforms for as long as he remains secretary.
The secretary’s support for PPPs effectively puts a major question on the table: whether government should continue relying primarily on traditional public construction for large facilities or increasingly turn to private-sector participation for projects where it can deliver better results, stronger accountability and greater value for public money.
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