BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
DPWH ‘actors’ in moro-moros

Roy Manao, the new officer-in-charge of the Dept. of Public Works and Highways in the Cordillera must be grinning from ear to ear. Maybe, even Juniper Dominguez and other concerned Cordillerans who howled and barked to have former regional director Mariano Alquiza replaced. Alquiza had been accused of engaging in corrupt ways particularly in implementation of the Halsema road project which made Dominguez file graft complaints against him at the Ombudsman’s Office, Congress, among other offices.

With Manao, a native of Mountain Province at the helm of the regional DPWH, maybe, there would be change from the alleged rampant corruption in the Cordillera DPWH. Maybe, he knows the real meaning of “inayan” (a kankanaey term which literally means never do anything bad.) In its subtle form, it means one must conform to cultural norms of being upright, just and never to take advantage or hurt other people. Among the kankanaeys and the Ifontok particularly in the not so recent past, transgressors of inayan had been the object of wrath or ridicule of their communities.

So an unsolicited piece of advice to the new OIC: Remember inayan since the higher one gets, the harder one falls. Will Manao be up to the task of putting order within the regional DPWH? That will depend on him and it remains to be seen as sooner or later, a hotshot with the blessing of the powers-that-be could replace him. The new OIC should remember that good old fashioned honor has not gone out of style. And once this is taken out from a man, it is a shame which his family has to bear for ages.
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So what happened to Alquiza? As most government officials who have been accused of wrongdoing, he was transferred by DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane as the agency’s chief for Ilocos Region. Happy days for him still and he is grinning, noticeably, to a lesser extent. In a briefing with newsmen in San Fernando City in La Union last week, Alquiza said he would adapt in his new assignment his “tried and tested Mag OKS program” he used in the Cordillera for almost five years.

Alquiza, who hails from Davao City, replaced Director Fidel Ginez, who will continue his work at the Agno Flood Control System, which he concurrently headed. In an interview with newsmen after turnover rites held in the city Monday, Alquiza said his “Mag OKS (Magandang Opisina, Kalsada at Sistema) will ensure office routines and services are in excellent shape, including upkeep, employees’ morale and performance, landscaped surroundings and very good office relations."
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Alquiza said Mag OKS seeks to eliminate familiarity among DPWH officials in the region, in accordance with civil service rules. Yep – in public. But after office hours or away from office vicinity that is another story.

He said with pride while in the Cordillera, he built a new DPWH regional building complete with facilities. (Like it was his own money that was used.) Alquiza added with the "Magandang Kalsada" system, "we have dramatically improved our road network that upgraded Baguio’s stature as a major tourist destination in the country.” (Wow, he should have been made regional Tourism director.)

“The goal, he added, “is to remove red tape, enhance communication flow and use fully procedures in compliance with DPWH rules and regulations. In a modest way, we have helped the people of the Cordillera shed off their old counter-productive ways."

Alquiza said he will serve Region l the best that he can and that he is appealing for “open communication from everyone guided by good governance and a sound infrastructure program in the region.”
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The new Ilocos director sure has the gift of gab. But methinks, his overdoing it has gotten him into trouble and had him “demoted” as Ilocos DPWH chief. In the Ilocos, it is always the local government officials who are reportedly followed in terms of “sharing the blessings” of life, like government contracts. You go against their wishes and next thing you know, you could be in front of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.

According to our bubwits at the regional Cordillera during Alquiza’s term, only 60 percent was left to the subcontractor to implement the project while 40 percent was “shared” by local officials, DPWH executives and the main contractor.

As to the masterminds of the moro-moro shows at the regional DPWH office, our bubwits say anybody can ask any contractor who they are. They also have what they call an “executioner” who makes sure only “favored” contractors are reportedly the ones who could bid for projects. In short, this select group of DPWH executives can reportedly “deliver” to the script writers the moolah following their code of ethics called omerta.

Our bubwits say if most infrastructure projects implemented by the DPWH are substandard, the answer is obvious. What is worst are the ghost projects which materialize every now and then out of thin air. Again, according to our bubwits, the “naanitoan” (those under the magic spell of evil spirits) at the DPWH wouldn’t admit these so they make pinikpikan (indigenous delicacy of singed chicken) in celebration when deals have been accomplished – of course, at the expense of the contractor.