Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to take the lead not only in building infrastructure but also in restoring integrity and accountability within the agency, starting with a strong crackdown on ghost projects.
“I don’t want a revolution, I want a revival. Many revolutions did not bring the reforms that were promised. Do you agree with me na dapat yung low-lying fruit, y’ung obvious na obvious, iyon y’ung [dapat] unahin?” Cayetano asked DPWH Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon during the DPWH budget briefing on October 20.
Cayetano described ghost projects as the clearest and most blatant form of corruption and said these should be the department’s top priority in investigating irregularities.
“Ang definition ng ‘ghost [projects],’ nag-allocate ng pera [at] binayaran, pero wala talagang project. It’s easier to focus on that kasi walang mapapaliwanag y’ung guilty,” he said.
Cayetano said the DPWH’s mission in nation-building should be two-fold β to build infrastructure and to clean up corruption within its ranks. He added that the agency’s reform must go beyond merely preventing corruption.
“The biblical principle is prevent evil, do good, pero if you’re going to be spiritual, may isa pa: align with what God wants. If you apply it to civil government, it’s not enough that we prevent corruption and do good. We have to align the priorities sa kung ano ang priority ng administration,” he said.
Dizon agreed, saying that more than 400 suspected ghost projects have already been identified by a validation team. He gave assurance that those involved will be held accountable.
Hearing the figure, Cayetano urged the department to act quickly on these cases and use the documents already in its possession as evidence.
“Anything that’s also obvious, we would appreciate action on it. Whether you refer it to the ICI [Independent Commission for Infrastructure] or the Ombudsman. Ang point ko lang naman, nasa inyo ang papeles,” he said.
He also suggested a simple way to verify ongoing and completed projects by requiring district engineers (DEs) and local officials to take and submit photos of project sites.
The senator said this would help ensure transparency and prevent ghost projects from slipping through the cracks.
“Is it possible that you ask your DEs or the lowest level whatever, kunan lang ng picture… para at least may reference ka,” Cayetano told Dizon.
Cayetano said the effort to clean up the DPWH should not be seen as a political purge but as a moral and institutional revival to rebuild public trust.
“Reform doesn’t come from tearing things down but from rebuilding them right,” he said. “That’s the kind of revival our country needs.”
