BBM to DPWH: Slash construction material costs by 50%

With some construction materials for infrastructure projects obviously overpriced, President Marcos ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) yesterday to reduce the standard cost for these items by as much as 50 percent to ensure public funds are properly spent.

- By HELEN FLORES

Marcos gave the order in a speech before leaving for Malaysia for the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and related summits from Oct. 26 to 28 in Kuala Lumpur.

The DPWH, the President said, continues to review projects and contracts and file cases against those involved in supposed multibillion-peso corruption within the agency, particularly involving flood control projects.

Marcos noted that the DPWH found several items such as asphalt, steel bars and cement overpriced by as much as 50 percent.

“Actually, there are some egregious examples which (are) even more than that,” the President said in his departure speech at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay.

“In order to ensure that the costs of DPWH will reflect the costs of the market and to ensure that the people’s money is correctly spent, I have directed the DPWH secretary to bring down the cost of materials by as much as 50 percent,” Marcos said.