As 2013 polls draw near, politicians post ads at road project sites

MANILA, Philippines - With the midterm elections drawing near, an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) yesterday said that politicians have placed their posters at road project sites.

Undersecretary for regional operations Romeo Momo said the DPWH has received reports that some politicians have placed their names and faces not only on project billboards or within the project site, but also attached their mugs on the contractor’s equipment used in road repair works.

Momo said they would meet with these erring local officials to remind them about the department order prohibiting the posting of political advertisements on DPWH projects.

“We will talk with the local officials and show them the department order. The DPWH district engineers will explain to them that they should not put their self-advertisement in project billboards,” Momo said.

But he admitted that monitoring these political advertisements is easier said than done since the politicians or their allies would remove their posters when these are discovered, only to put them back once inspection is over.

There were also others who have placed their billboards near the project site, prompting the agency to come up with other directives such as banning political billboards 100 meters within the project area and within the right of way.

Momo said some of the violations were reported in Nueva Ecija, Bohol, Maguindanao, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.

DPWH contractors who allow political ads within the project perimeter would also be sanctioned.

“We could bar them from further participating in public works biddings due to non-compliance,” Momo said.