The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) recommended Thursday that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) halve the contract threshold amounts that regional and district engineering offices should enter into in infrastructure projects.
In a letter signed by ICI Chair Andres Reyes, the fact-finding body urged DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to lower the ceiling for letters of authority (LOA) in public works bidding to P200 million from P400 million for regional engineering offices and to P75 million from P150 million for district engineering offices.
The original threshold for the LOAs, the ICI noted, was raised during the tenure of Dizon’s predecessor, former Public Works chief Manuel Bonoan.
‘In the course of the continuing investigation of this Commission in relation to anomalous flood control projects and corruption within the DPWH, it has come to our attention that the LOA for the procurement of civil works that [was] previously allowed by former Secretary Bonoan should be decreased by at least half,’ read the letter.