By Rose B. Palacio

Davao City (8 May) -- Contractors who are not registered with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office in Manila, including any representative with Special Power of Attorney (SPA), are not qualified to participate in the bidding of government projects.

This was clarified by DPWH COMVAL District Engineer Silvino Cortez following a complaint aired by a certain "Zulueta", a contractor who reportedly claimed of being disqualified to enter into bidding of projects in Compostela Valley.

In an interview with GMA TV 5 reporter Rose Bernales and the Philippine Information Agency, DE Cortez said upon verification at DPWH central Office, we found out that "Zulueta" was not registered as an SPA of a contractor's license, thereby disqualifying the contractor's license represented by Zulueta.

Years back, Zulueta used his own contractor's license, DE Cortez said.

It's unfortunate that Mr. Zulueta was disqualified for having no proper contractor's license, hence could not compete in government's project bidding.

"Following the transparency program of the Arroyo administration and our DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, we are open for any clarification, scrutiny or see our documents,." DE Cortez said as he called on complainants to send their complaints to concerned agencies such as the DPWH central office, the regional office or at the Office of the Ombudsman for proper investigation in order for us to justify complaints and clear our name.

While our works differ from other departments, we are giving the public an insight of what the DPWH have been doing to ultimately benefit the general public, he said.

Like for instance, if we want to speed up a much-awaited project and it involves the use of highly technology, we must be understood by the community, he said.

Secretary Bonoan and our DPWH XI Director Dimas Soguilon have instituted reforms to make our department a "more responsive and responsible agency of the government, he told mediamen.

DPWH Secretary Bonoan and USEC Rafael Yabut were in Davao just very recently to personally inspect the damaged Generoso bridge in Bankerohan that needs immediate reconstruction.