CITY OF MALOLOS – In a productive consultative meeting between local government officials of Bulacan, headed by Governor Daniel R. Fernando, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) -Bulacan officials, the latter vowed to closely coordinate with LGUs on projects that will be implemented within their jurisdiction.
“Lahat ng koordinasyon na kailangan ng district papunta sa LGU ay gagawin na po natin. Rest assured na ang mga proyekto po na for 2026 ay ipi-present na po namin para sa information ng lahat. Sa mga pre-construction meeting po, pwede na po natin i-onboard ang LGU, at least alam ng LGU kung ano ang mga project na i-implement sa kanila,” Jayson S. Jauco, OIC-District Engineer of DPWH 1st Bulacan District Engineering Office, said.
This, after Fernando questioned the DPWH for the lack of coordination with the local government, that resulted in the implication of local officials in the heavily criticized and problematic flood-control projects in the province.
“We are trending for the wrong reasons. Nadungisan ang marangal at dakilang pangalan ng ating lalawigan. Nabura ang mga parangal na natatanggap ng provincial at local governments dahil sa problemang iyan. We need na maibalik ang tiwala ng taumbayan. Kailangan nating maibangon ang sistema ng pag-go-gobyerno,” the governor said.
Fernando also made the DPWH answer for their failure to submit a flood control and drainage master plan for the province, which was stipulated in Executive Order No. 22, series of 2023 or “An Order Creating an Ad Hoc Committee in the Provincial Development Council to Study and Recommend Actions Relative to Flooding and Drainage Concerns in the Province”.
According to Jauco, he personally believed in the importance of an integrated masterplan to address flooding concerns of the province, and said that he will seek the assistance of their regional office to study and shed light on it.
To aid in this, the governor said that he will communicate with the office of House Speaker Faustino Dy III for a legislative measure for a nationwide master plan for the Philippines. He also encouraged all mayors of the province to prepare their localized plan that will then be consolidated for the whole province.
Meanwhile, Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office Head Atty. Julius Victor Degala raised the province’s need for five weighbridges that will be positioned in key areas including San Miguel, San Rafael, Guiguinto, Bocaue, and Calumpit, to better implement anti-overloading and anti-excessive volume ordinances in the province that will affect the situation of roads in the province.
Fernando also said that he will decline the request of the San Miguel Truckers Association to increase the allowable volume of load to 35 cubic meters.
In addition, Provincial Engineer’s Office Head Engr. Glenn Reyes reported that out of the 572 barangays in the province, 393 or 68.71% have requested road repairs from 2019-2025; he also presented to the DPWH officials the sections along McArthur and Maharlika Highways that require repair.
On the other hand, following the statement from a previous DPWH official that all infrastructure projects in the province are substandard, DPWH-Bulacan 2nd DEO George DC. Santos assured the local officials that all projects of their office are up to code.
For the projects of the 1st DEO, Jauco said that their regional office will act as a third party to conduct technical inspection through non-destructive tests, to check the integrity of infrastructure, especially school buildings.
Finally, the governor announced that he will issue an executive order for the creation of a Provincial Infrastructure Coordinating Committee composed of the province, municipal, city, and barangay officials, DPWH DEOs in the province, and non-government and civil society organizations.