This is to report a continuing case of corruption. For several consecutive weekends now, contractors, obviously with the knowledge of—or in cahoots with—the Department of Public Works and Highways, would “fix” stretches of Carlos P. Garcia Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City. This is the road that runs along the southern periphery of UP Diliman, connecting Commonwealth Avenue and Katipunan Avenue.
Workers would destroy cemented portions of the road that are still in good condition and replace them with fresh cement. This barefaced corruption happens every Friday night through Sunday afternoon.
I would like to call on journalists, politicians, the Commission on Audit, and concerned citizens and netizens, to bring with them video recorders and visit C. P. Garcia Avenue every Friday at 10 p.m. See for yourself how well-paved roads are destroyed. This is totally insane.
What is ironic is that this is being done right on the doorstep of UP which, just two years ago, hogged the headlines after one of its students, Kristel Tejada, took her life because no one could shoulder her tuition. The public funds lost to this weekly corruption scheme could have saved Kristel; properly used, they could also alleviate the plight of many hard-up Filipino students and parents.
Let us channel the funds of the DPWH to more meaningful expenditures. Besides, constructing more roads has become an anachronism. Haven’t we heard of these things called trains and trams?
Hope we act on this “simple” DPWH corruption. As the saying goes: Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.
—CHESTER CHANG,
Barangay Tañong, Marikina City