Tulfo calls for ‘unified’ project planning, monitoring at DPWH

SENATOR Erwin Tulfo has called for a “unified project planning and monitoring system” at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) after confirming that grid coordinates for projects purportedly under implementation thru the department’s multi-year programming and scheduling (MYPS) platform and project contract management application (PCMA) turned out to be inaccurate.

“It seems po na hindi reliable ang MYPS coordinates. There are certain inconsistencies. Kasi po parang medyo magulo.

“Meron tayong MYPS, meron wika nga para sa PCMA. Ano ba talaga? Hindi ba pa pwedeng isa na lamang na coordinates,” asked Tulfo, also the Vice-Chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, during the hearing last January 19.

He said it is wrong that the coordinates appearing in the MYPS and the PCMA are different.

“Kasi magulo ito—through MYPS, we identify the project. Through PCMA, we monitor the project. So, hindi yata tama na magkaiba ang coordinates sa MYPS at PCMA,” he went on.

Tulfo emphasized that the two systems currently used in the DPWH could open windows for corruption.

Responding to the senator, DPWH Usec. Ricardo Bernabe III agreed that there should only be one planning and monitoring system for infrastructure projects.

“Sobrang agree po kami dyan. Tamang-tama po yung inyong sinabi. Kaya nga po meron po kami ang mga reporma ngayon to implement itong mga bagong systems, to improve the systems.

“In fact, meron nga po kami ng foreign assisted project to reform this application para nga po isa na lang ang coordinates na gamit po natin,” Bernabe said.

In the same hearing, Tulfo urged the DPWH to hasten the verification of the list of alleged ghost flood control projects across the country amid the recent developments in the Senate investigation.

For his part, acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida echoed Tulfo’s call for the DPWH to release the verified list of flood control projects in order for them to start the case build-up against those involved in the multi-billion flood control scandal.