Three district engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Palawan are ready to submit their courtesy resignations following the directive of Secretary Vince Dizon for officials to step down from top to bottom.
Engineer Rommel Aguirre of the 1st District Engineering Office, Noel Fuentebella of the 2nd District, and Amelia Fajardo of the 3rd District told reporters Tuesday they have prepared their resignations and are waiting for official communication from higher office. They described the move as part of a “cleansing” within the agency.
However, the engineers stressed that the directive should not be taken as an admission of irregularities in Palawan.
They denied the presence of “ghost projects” in their districts and said they are willing to undergo lifestyle checks.
“Siguro makakatulong din talaga yun sa cleansing. Yan naman ay prerogative ng top management kung ano ang dapat gawin. Hindi ko sinasabing malinis ako pero yung mga nakikita natin sa TV na talagang yung may problema, pasensyahan na lang,” Fuentebella said.
Aguirre added that the call for courtesy resignations was first reported in the news and on social media, but they are ready to comply once it becomes official.
He said they support reforms “as a good soldier” to help the agency recover from controversies surrounding flood control projects.
“We’re just waiting for the official orders kasi naunang lumabas sa balita, sa social media. But we are already prepared, sa kalagayan ko I am already prepared, as a good soldier, para sa malawakang pagbabago or siguro yung sistema na kailangang i-adopt,” Aguirre said.
The three stated, too, that the order for mass resignation from undersecretary down to district engineer level is a welcome development for Dizon to be able to implement cleansing in the department, which is currently hounded by issues of anomalies in flood control projects.
“Sabi nga ni Secretary Vince ay marami pa ring mabubuti at magagandang nagta-trabaho sa ahensya. Ganun pa man, siguro sa hanay down to district level ay magkakaroon ng changes na magaganap,” Aguirre stated.
“Siguro makakatulong din talaga yun sa cleansing. Yan naman ay prerogative ng top management kung ano ang dapat gawin. Hindi ko sinasabing malinis ako pero yung mga nakikita natin sa tv na talagang yung may problema, pasehsyahan na lang,” Fuentebella added.
He also said Dizon’s call is timely as the issue is still fresh.
“May kasabihan nga tayo na strike when the iron is hot, habang kasagsagan par maatigil na. Kasi kahit sabihin natin na nakapag-cleansing, meron dyang mangilan-ngilan na magta-try parin,” he stated.
He looks forward to the call for mass resignation paving the way for the department to regain the trust and confidence of the people, although he sees a long way ahead.
They also said they have nothing to hide and that there is nothing irregular going on in their respective districts.
They added that they are all willing to undergo a lifestyle check, standing firm on their earlier pronouncements that there are no ghost projects in the province.
Asked if they are affected by the issues in the department, Aguirre said he remains in high morale, reiterating that nothing wrong is happening, and noting that the issue is an “exceptional case and has just become sensational.”
He said he believes the department will be able to hurdle the issue.
Fuentebella, for his part, said he is a bit affected but has to do his job, including managing his personnel in the district.
“Tao lang naman tayo e. Although kami naman, yung thrust ng DPWH, huwag tayo magpabaya sa ating trabaho. Since nangyari itong mga ganitong problema, we always see to it na yung ating ginagawa sa ating opisina ay tinutugunan.
Fajardo also said what is happening is affecting those who are doing their jobs and the whole department in general, but they will just continue doing their jobs.
“Sabi ko sa meeting with my field engineers kahapon, dahil sa ganitong pangyayari, gagawin namin kung ano ang makabubuti at kung ano man yung dating image, babawiin namin dito sa distrito. Yun ang instruction ko sa kanila,” she said.
