BAGUIO CITY — Officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways-Cordillera (DPWH-CAR) and the Baguio City District Engineering Office (BCDEO) have declined the Baguio City Council’s invitation to attend a forum on August 18, 2025 investigating alleged gross overpricing in several infrastructure projects in the city including cat’s eye highway lights, yellow road barriers, solar-powered streetlights, and rock netting installations.
In formal letters sent to the city council, both offices cited prior commitments including a Manila-based staff conference as well as ongoing audit procedures and confidentiality rules as reasons for their absence and inability to submit requested project documents.
In a letter dated August 15, 2025, DPWH-CAR Regional Director Khadaffy Tanggol informed the city council that they “cannot make it on the suggested schedule” due to “time constraints and earlier prior commitment,” as key personnel including himself and Management Committee would be attending a staff conference in Manila from August 18 to 20, 2025.
Meanwhile, the District Engineer Rene Zarate stated in a separate letter dated August 14, 2025 that although several engineers were initially designated to attend, they were also required to attend the same regional staff meeting, rendering them unavailable.
“We are respectfully informing your Honorable Office that the requested resource person’s presentation cannot be supported or discussed in the said session for the following reasons,” Zarate noted, citing both scheduling conflicts and audit-related restrictions.
Despite the absence of top DPWH-CAR and BCDEO officials, the forum still pushed through, with BCDEO representatives in attendance.
Councilor Jose Molintas who authored the resolution that prompted the forum reiterated the need for full disclosure of project documents in the interest of transparency and public accountability.
However, Engr. Frances Vincent Saloria of BCDEO merely echoed the contents of their earlier letter, stating that “the data and documents requested fall under the scope of COA’s ongoing audit and review process,” which is “protected under Article IX-D, Section 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and applicable COA Circulars.”
Saloria said the results of the COA review will be transmitted to the city council once available, subject to the approval of the DPWH Central Office. Nevertheless, he denied the allegations of overpricing involving the said infrastructure materials, emphasizing that their office no longer implements projects involving solar studs, rock netting, and road barriers except for limited streetlight installations on selected roads.
City council members expressed frustration over the absence of key officials from the concerned offices, saying it rendered the inquiry largely unproductive as attending representatives were unable to provide substantial answers or documentation.
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