DPWH to recruit new engineers from universities

MANILA, Philippines —  The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will embark on a massive recruitment of the “best and the brightest” budding engineers in January and of accountants graduating from major universities in March.

“We really want to find the best and the brightest out there and really bring in young blood, fresh blood, idealistic blood to the DPWH. We will start in January,” Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said at a briefing yesterday. “This is very serious… We want to infuse fresh blood.”

He said there are many positions in the department left vacant by resignation as a result of the investigation and prosecution of DPWH officials and officers involved in anomalies in flood control projects.

“So this January, we will start the massive recruitment in schools – UP, UST, De La Salle, Ateneo, Mapua, FEU, UE, all over. And not just in Metro Manila but in the other parts of the country,” Dizon said.

“And I’m announcing this already today to all our schools: hopefully you can help us really recruit people and really make people realize especially the young generation that it is important for them to participate in our reform effort,” Dizon said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“And the best way to participate in this reform effort in the DPWH is to join DPWH,” Dizon said. “That is the best way to participate. Join us in this effort…

“We need you. We need you to join us in this reform effort. And we will go around the schools. I will personally go around to convince you to join us,” the DPWH chief said.

“We need young, dynamic, idealistic people to join DPWH. And you will be the ones to really turn the page and reform this institution from within,” Dizon said. “Not just in the next two years but in the years to come.”

Dizon admitted that there may be some reluctance among young people to join the scandal-ridden department.

“We have to appeal (to them). I know, there is zero trust in this agency. But how can we introduce change if our idealistic, patriotic Gen-Z graduates won’t join us? But this is their government, this is their country,” Dizon said.

Meanwhile, for resigned Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) member Rogelio Singson, his replacement in the probe body should be a lawyer, and not an engineer.

“A lot of documents have been piled up already that need to be looked at, so you won’t need an engineer anymore,” Singson, an industrial engineer by profession, said on Friday during a gathering with media personnel at the ICI office. Singson, 77, relinquished his post on Dec. 15 for health reasons.

His preference stands in contrast with that of ICI executive director Brian Keith Hosaka, who told The STAR’s online show “Truth on the Line” last week of his hopes to see President Marcos appoint an engineer to take Singson’s place.

“We’re not even going to the nitty-gritty of substandard works. Are the steel and cement used correct? Those are the things that an engineer would be able to help the commission with,” Hosaka said.

“Maybe if there’s someone to replace Singson, it would be good if we have the technical knowledge and, at the same time, institutional knowledge of the DPWH similar to his,” he added.

Still left at the ICI are chairman Andres Reyes Jr., a retired associate justice; and Rossana Fajardo, an accountant who is country managing partner of Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co.

Marcos plucked Singson out of retirement in September to be part of the ICI because he has a “good idea of where the bodies are buried,” being the public works chief from 2010 to 2016.

But during his three-month tenure, Singson became stressed by the need to study cases from the vantage point of the law. - EJ Macababbad