Road Reblocking Works Halted Indefinitely, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon Confirmed
Are you tired of seeing road reblocking works anywhere you go? Not sure if this is good news. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said on Friday, Oct. 10, that all road reblocking works are halted indefinitely as some of these projects might be involved in corruption-related issues.
“Effectively now, I will be suspending all reblocking activities. And gagawa ako ng bagong department order on reblocking,” DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said at a press conference.
(“Effectively now, I will be suspending all reblocking activities. And I will create a new department order on reblocking.”)
“Bakit ba ang DPWH binabakbak ang mga kalye na parang okay naman para lang gawin ulit. Well, siguro, sa maraming pagkakataon, alam na natin kung bakit. Kasi pinagkakakitaan lang iyon. Pinagkakakitaan yung pagsisira. Pinagkakakitaan din ‘yung paggagawa ulit,” he continued.
(“Why does the DPWH keep tearing up roads that seem perfectly fine just to rebuild them again? Well, in many cases, we already know why. Because it’s being used as a money-making scheme. They profit from the destruction.”)
Dizon clarified that the suspension does not cover maintenance work on existing damaged roads. The move follows reports of suspicious road reblocking activities in Bocaue, Bulacan, and Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.
The DPWH chief said the upcoming department order will introduce new safeguards to prevent corruption in road reblocking projects.
Dizon urged the public to report any ongoing road reblocking activities despite the suspension, warning that district engineers who violate the order will be suspended.
Though the new DPWH leadership is taking steps to fight corruption within the department and improve the quality of roadwork projects, suspending reblocking altogether may have unintended consequences, especially for traffic. In past cases, unfinished DPWH road projects along the Manila North Road in Malolos, Bulacan, have drawn criticism for worsening traffic, prompting the agency to promise faster work and even implement night construction to ease congestion