REPRESENTATIVE Leandro Leviste is pressing Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to adopt greater transparency measures within the department, focusing on contractor connections, budget allocation, and pricing.
In a statement, Rep. Leviste outlined three key requests: (1) Disclosure of each DPWH official’s connections to contractors, including recent meetings, and a concrete plan to prevent kickbacks; (2) Release of the DPWH budget per legislative district (both the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and the General Appropriations Bill (GAB)), including “Allocable” and “Non-Allocable” budget breakdowns per district, along with a comprehensive list of project proponents; (3) A 25% reduction in project prices, or a detailed justification if such a reduction is not feasible, comparing DPWH prices to established non-DPWH benchmark prices.
Rep. Leviste stated, “People assume there are still kickbacks in DPWH, and I would like to ask Sec. Dizon if he agrees and how we can end kickbacks in DPWH. I am thankful for his reforms, but hope we can go further by fixing the 2026 budget by sharing the requested information and lowering prices, to show that real change has come to DPWH.”
The representative’s call for transparency aims to address persistent public concerns about potential corruption within the DPWH and ensure that the 2026 budget reflects a genuine commitment to fair pricing, accountability, and ethical conduct.
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