DPWH tags roads, infra to stop ‘ghost projects’

BY Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways started the geo-tagging of all roads and infrastructure projects in the country to prevent duplication and overlapping of future infrastructure projects that will be implemented and save funds from being wasted through so-called “ghost projects,” a senior DPWH official said here.

Alexander Castañeda, district engineer of the Baguio City District Engineering Office (BCDEO), geo-tagging would mean the documentation of all roads and infrastructure projects that will be made available to the latest forms of information and communication gadgets and which could be accessed by everyone.

“By a mere click of your computer or the programming of mobile phones on the latitudes and longitudes of our roads and infrastructure projects, one will now the status of the roads among others,” Castañeda said.

He added the agency is now procuring state-of-the-art survey instruments which could be used in geo-tagging all roads and infrastructure projects nationwide so that the data desired by individuals on the condition of roads and bridges will be available on the web by next year.

Castañeda added the geo-tagging of roads and projects is a flagship project of Public Works Secretary Rogelio L. Singson in order to ensure transparency on the status of roads, bridges and projects in the different districts in the country and provide people with proper information on the metes and bounds of roads for various purposes.

The DPWH-BCDEO official said geo-tagging of roads, bridges and other major public infrastructure would provide convenience to foreign and domestic tourists wanting to visit certain places in the country as they will no longer have to locate major landmarks just to reach their desired destinations.

“We have to conform with the latest trends in information and technology for us to be globally competitive. We do not want to be left out in the midst of other developing countries,” he said.

He revealed among the available data in the geo-tagging include the length of the roads and bridges, status of the roads and bridges, metes and bounds, state of pavement, on-going projects with their corresponding amount, project duration, contractor among other key information which the public should be aware of.

Castañeda claimed the geo-tagging project is in conformity with the overall thrust of the Aquino administration for transparency in the implementation of projects which are beneficial to the general welfare of the greater majority of the Filipino people.

He said reforms introduced by Secretary Singson in the DPWH over the past four years have greatly contributed in improving the implementation of quality infrastructure projects in the different parts of the country that have allowed most of the national roads and bridges to be compliant with international standards, particularly in the thickness of the pavements and the smooth surface of roads.

He appealed to people who are inconvenienced by the simultaneous implementation of major infrastructure projects in their places to bear with the temporary problems because such projects will translate to lasting convenience for them with better roads.