The case for Singson

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The resignation from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) of Rogelio “Babes” Singson, former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary, presents a unique opportunity that President Marcos Jr. simply cannot afford to miss.

In fact, Singson’s resignation from ICI could be a blessing in disguise as this could give the President a chance to equip the DPWH with real technical horsepower and bring back seasoned leadership into an agency that is, quite literally, the foundation of our national development.

Sadly, DPWH’s reputation is now being destroyed by controversies emanating from widespread reports of anomalous flood control projects in almost every region of the country. It needs much more than a facelift.

Let’s face it: DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon lacks the necessary technical background and expertise to steer the agency back to its original role of overseeing the planning, design, construction and maintenance of the government’s various infrastructure works and projects.

The argument for Singson lies in his resume. From 2010 to 2016: Singson led the DPWH with efficiency and a metric-driven focus that earned him the moniker of a true technocrat. His tenure was marked by a relentless campaign against corruption, meticulous project planning and the efficient execution of major projects.

His resume speaks a language the DPWH desperately needs: billions planned and spent with accountability, kilometers of roads ready for traffic and concrete volumes that translate into roads.

While good public relations are vital, they cannot, and should not, replace engineering foresight and institutional knowledge in an agency as complex and critical as the DPWH.

Singson speaks the vocabulary of design specs, procurement norms and rigorous project control – not merely talking points, but the nuts, bolts and timelines of big construction projects.

He has proven that he can dismantle entrenched bureaucratic hurdles and corruption networks, a legacy from his anti-graft efforts under former president Noynoy Aquino. Moreover, he possesses the technical acuity to demand accountability from contractors and ensure that projects are built to specifications and are completed on time.

Likewise, Singson provides institutional memory which is essential in bridging the gap between successful past infrastructure programs and the current administration’s goals, offering invaluable historical context and lessons learned.

As it is, the DPWH is a professional engineering and construction agency. It must be led by a professional engineer with decades of executive experience.

Singson is a proven executor the administration needs right now to clean up the mess left by unscrupulous characters at the DPWH and to ensure that worthwhile projects would not turn into delayed undertakings with questionable quality.

The president has the perfect opportunity to send a powerful message: that in the highest echelons of public service, substance will always trump style.

Naming Singson is not merely a political appointment; it is a strategic move in ensuring that the administration’s flagship programs would see their completion.

Flawed system

A number of government entities have been criticized in recent years for their purchases of overpriced and outdated equipment. Worse, officials and employees have found themselves being charged for graft because of these purchases.

Recently, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the filing of graft and falsification charges against former education secretary Leonor Briones and 12 others for the P2.4-billion procurement of laptop computers that were later deemed not only outdated but also overpriced.

A Commission on Audit report also revealed alleged overpriced purchases at the Office of the Vice President of CCTV cameras and office laptops, among others.

In some cases, however, the purchases just appear to be overpriced and outdated because of the long process involved in government procurement.

Because notices, evaluations and approvals involved in government procurement take many months, by the time the agency receives its purchases, especially if these involve technical or technological items, they might already appear to be overpriced and outdated.

The waiting time becomes longer with more complex purchases like those involving data centers, firewalls and other components of information and communications technology (ICT) systems that age rapidly and lose value faster than government procurement can keep up.

By the time an agency finishes drafting the terms of reference, secures approvals, publishes bids, resolves protests, awards the contracts, receives the notice to proceed and finally gets the budget released, the technology specified is already a generation behind.

Technology, however, which evolves rapidly, will not wait.

But by the time a contract is finally awarded, the same items already cost far less because successors have already been released. This creates the illusion of overpricing when, in reality, it is the procurement timeline that distorts the price, not the supplier.

Another related issue is the problem of licensing. Many agencies still approach ICT systems as though it was a one-time capital purchase. But modern systems live on recurring costs: subscriptions, renewals, support, security patches and cloud services.

ICT systems also require continuous upkeep to remain secure, functional and interoperable. Firmware updates, security patches, hardware replacements, diagnostics and vendor support are recurring needs, not optional add-ons. Yet government budgeting often treats maintenance as a secondary expense that can be delayed or trimmed.

The public sees a multimillion-peso project no longer working, and it is quickly branded a white elephant, not because the technology was flawed, but because the sustaining mechanisms were never funded or renewed.

The government will always need to invest in ICT systems to modernize its outdated systems and processes. However, current procurement rules treat technology as a one-time purchase.

What the government needs is a procurement mindset that treats technology as a living infrastructure that must always undergo updating, patching and replacement on a cycle far faster than ordinary public works. Without that shift, even the best implemented projects will keep arriving obsolete.

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