LAS Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos has called on Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to immediately reinstate the Integrity Pledge, a policy first introduced under former Secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson to strengthen transparency and accountability in public works projects.
Santos described the Integrity Pledge as a vital anti-corruption tool that required all prospective suppliers and contractors to sign a written commitment to reject corruption, avoid bid rigging and collusion, and ensure value-for-money bids before joining any bidding process.
“The Integrity Pledge was not a symbolic document—it was a safeguard against corruption and collusion in government projects,” Santos said. “Reinstating it will restore public confidence and ensure that only legitimate and transparent contractors can do business with the DPWH.”
“Hindi pa huli ang lahat,” he added.
In 2013, Secretary Singson issued a department order institutionalizing the Integrity Pledge, making it a mandatory requirement for contractors seeking to engage with the DPWH. It served as a clear commitment to uphold ethical practices and accountability in public procurement.
Singson is back in public service after being appointed as one of the three members of the newly formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). He was the DPWH chief from July 2010 to June 2016 and led the Good Governance and Anti-Corruption Program.
Santos stressed that the Integrity Pledge was “not a mere memorandum, but a policy instrument designed to keep corruption and collusion out of the bidding process.”
The lawmaker revealed that the policy was discontinued during the term of former Secretary, now Senator, Mark Villar, which he said “weakened the department’s transparency mechanisms” and “opened the door to questionable joint ventures” involving Primewater Infrastructure Corp. and several local water districts.
“By abandoning the Integrity Pledge, Villar’s DPWH weakened the department’s transparency safeguards and opened the door to questionable partnerships that lacked public scrutiny,” Santos said. “This was a clear step backward in our fight for clean governance.”
Santos said reviving the Integrity Pledge under Secretary Dizon’s leadership would reaffirm the DPWH’s commitment to good governance, fair competition, and ethical procurement.
“I urge Secretary Dizon to immediately bring back this reform. The Integrity Pledge must once again be a non-negotiable requirement for anyone seeking to do business with the government,” Santos said.
The Las Pinas lawmaker added that restoring the policy would help protect public funds and ensure that infrastructure projects are carried out “with the right company, at the right cost, with the right quality, and on time”—a guiding principle first emphasized by Singson.
