LETTERS

Hon. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.
Secretary
DPWH

Sir,

Greetings! In behalf of the “silent majority” of the people of Mountain Province, I extend heartfelt congratulations for finally acting at will, on the plight of the flagship projects of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Mountain Province.

Your order that the mega-substandard road concreting accomplishments during your last visit here in Mountain Province was honestly met with cheers, reservations and anxiety.

Cheers, because at last, the money intended for a quality road will hopefully be realized. Reservations because the DPWH people involved in these corrupt practices are cunning.

Example, accordingly, District Engineer Leonardo Leyaley and Regional Director Alquiza sent their people to mark all road concreting accomplishments with paint, for removal and replacement.

After the markers left the project site, the contractors’ personnel went to erase the paint markers using gasoline? The question here honorable Secretary is, were all the concreting all the concreting (PCCP) not done in accordance with approved plans and specifications? Hence there was no need to mark those removal and replacement.

Anxiety because the people of Mountain Province know at heart that the slope protection and outer grouted ripraps are mega-substandard, and that these absolutely pose a threat to life and property. The question honorable Secretary: Why were these not included in your order for a remove and replace?

The DPWH-Bureau of Construction, the Presidential Management Staff investigators, the COA team of investigators, in their investigation validated that the installed guard rails were not approved specifications.

These were so thin and painted with ordinary paints. The question again honorable Secretary: Why was it not included in the remove and replace order? Remove all and replace it with the “Schedule #16” with chlorinated, reflectorized paint and not ordinary Boysen Paints.

Hopefully, all work on the projects shall be suspended, anyway, it is the rainy season. Removal of all those shameful accomplishments shall immediately commence, hopefully with the supervision of the COA. Pictures of the accomplishments before removal, during removal and after removal shall be taken.

Lastly, it is fervently prayed that all payments for the SONA projects be deferred, then the COA should inventory the projects. The contractors who refuse the order to “remove and replace” have to pay back the government after the COA inventory. This will partly insure that the government will not be at a loss.

Thank you very much.

Very respectfully yours,

Juniper Dominguez
Sabangan, Mountain Province