Batangas: Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste on Thursday renewed his call for Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to reduce the cost of DPWH projects by 25 percent as a measure to curb systemic kickbacks within the agency.
According to Philippines News Agency, Leviste stated in his news release that this initiative could also save approximately PHP400 billion in government funds. He referenced past efforts by DPWH Secretary Babes Singson, who previously reduced prices by 10 percent before project approval, and urged Secretary Dizon to not only uphold but extend this effort. Leviste emphasized the need for a full 25 percent price reduction to eliminate kickbacks and support this initiative in Congress to facilitate significant savings.
Leviste further elaborated that the kickback system is primarily driven by the DPWH, as the agency is responsible for computing project prices, managing bidding processes, and implementing projects. He highlighted that even in the absence of congressional involvement, District Engineering Offices often manipulate bids, select contractors, and collect kickbacks, underscoring the necessity for reform within the DPWH itself.
These comments were made following an open letter Leviste addressed to Dizon earlier this week. In the letter, he called for a 25 percent reduction in project prices to prevent kickbacks and urged for transparency in the 2026 DPWH budget before the congressional vote on the 2026 budget. Leviste acknowledged Dizon's efforts to address corruption within the department and expressed hope that immediate measures to reduce prices would be implemented for the nation's benefit.
Furthermore, Leviste expressed support for Congress's approval of funding for 25,000 new classrooms in 2026, suggesting that savings from reduced DPWH project costs could be redirected to address the Department of Education's estimated shortage of 165,000 classrooms. He advocated for prioritizing educational funding over kickbacks to strengthen the education sector.
