Sierra Madre Road not a project of DPWH

This has reference to the comments of Ricardo Ramos, executive director of InfraWatch, in his letters titled “Rich source of campaign funds” (Opinion, 12/4/15) and “Overpriced project and a typo error” (Opinion, 12/10/15).

In the letters, Ramos criticized, without verifying, the Department of Public Works and Highways for the alleged overpricing of the “Sierra Madre Road Project” in Isabela. More particularly, in his Dec. 10 letter he said: “There is no way that DPWH can justify the obscenely overpriced cost of P27.8 million per km for the two-lane national highway even if it’s a ‘green field’ project.”

For the information of Ramos and the readers, the construction of the P2.28-billion Sierra Madre Road is a project of the provincial government of Isabela, not the DPWH. Moreover, without the detailed designs and specifications, we cannot conclude that P27.8 million per kilometer is overpriced.

Hoping that this clarification will enlighten the reading public, including Ramos, on the matter.

—ROGELIO L. SINGSON, secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways