MALACAÑANG has issued a memorandum, reminding all government offices, agencies, and instrumentalities to ensure "timely" completion of infrastructure projects.
The order was directed to all government offices, including government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions (GFIs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local government units (LGUs) according to Memorandum Circular (MC) 57 inked on February 7.
MC 57 directed all heads and concerned officials and employees of departments, bureaus, and offices, including GOCCS, GFIs, SUCs, and LGUs, to strictly observe the laws, issuances, and policies on timely completion of government infrastructure projects, including the imposition of appropriate sanctions for infractions and violations thereof.
"The abovementioned heads and concerned officials shall ensure that in undertaking government infrastructure projects, all measures to promote the safety of, and mitigate inconvenience to the public are in place," the memorandum, signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea by authority of President Rodrigo Duterte, read.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was ordered to take appropriate measures to ensure compliance of concerned government agencies and instrumentalities, GOCCs, GFIs, SUCs, and LGUs with MC 57.
Section 65, Rule 21 of the revised implementing rules and regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act provides that public officers, including private individuals in collusion with government officials, who delay without justifiable cause any services related to infrastructure projects, shall suffer imprisonment and temporary disqualification from public office, without prejudice to the provisions of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and other penal laws.
Under Executive Order signed in 2017, the DPWH, as chair of infrastructure cluster, was tasked to lead in enhancing the delivery of public infrastructure; improving the quality and reliability of public infrastructure and public investment efficiency; strengthening implementation capacity and budget execution of government agencies involved in infrastructure development; and ensuring equitable access to infrastructure services.
"Unfinished government infrastructure projects cause great inconvenience and serious damage to the prejudice of the general public, and adversely affect the delivery of basic service," MC 57 stressed.
"The development goals of accelerating infrastructure development and ensuring efficient governance remain as overriding objectives of the government under the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022," it added.
A copy of the memorandum, which takes effect "immediately," was released by Malacañang on Monday, February 11. (SunStar Philippines)