In a searing op-ed titled “Zero trust in DPWH,” veteran Inquirer columnist John Nery dissects the Department of Public Works and Highways’ entrenched culture of corruption, arguing that public faith in the agency has eroded to “zero” following the P20-billion flood control scandal—and that nothing short of radical, structural overhaul can restore it. Nery frames the latest revelations not as isolated anomalies but as symptoms of a systemic disease: A department where “pork barrel politics, overpricing, and ghost projects” have become institutionalized, leaving Filipinos to literally drown in the consequences.
Nery recounts the scandal’s timeline—from initial ICI probes uncovering kickbacks and substandard dikes to Senate hearings exposing P255 billion in questionable items slashed from the 2026 budget proposal. He spotlights DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon‘s efforts to clean house (e.g., revised CMPD to curb overpricing) but questions their depth: “Trust is earned through sustained action, not announcements.” The columnist highlights ironic twists—like restored funds requested despite past abuses—and broader failures, such as delayed projects costing lives during Typhoon Uwan.
The piece’s core thesis: “Zero trust” isn’t hyperbole—it’s the rational response to decades of betrayal, from the P10-billion road-right-of-way scams to today’s multibillion ghosts. Nery calls for:
- Independent Oversight: A permanent, empowered body beyond internal audits.
- Zero-Based Budgeting: Scrutinize every project anew, no sacred cows.
- Citizen Participation: Mandatory geo-tagging and community monitoring.
- Criminal Accountability: Swift prosecutions, not just resignations.
He warns that without these, DPWH remains a “black hole” for public funds, undermining Marcos’ infrastructure ambitions. “We cannot build a Bagong Pilipinas on foundations of graft,” Nery concludes, urging Filipinos to demand more than promises—deliverables measured in transparency and lives saved.
In a season of hope, Nery’s column is a sobering wake-up: Rebuilding trust starts with dismantling the old, corrupt order—one honest project at a time.
Key Arguments Snapshot:
| Issue | Nery’s Critique | Proposed Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional Rot | Pork, overpricing, ghosts normalized | Radical structural reform |
| Recent Scandal | P20B flood failures expose systemic flaws | Independent oversight body |
| Dizon’s Reforms | Positive but insufficient | Zero-based budgeting; citizen monitoring |
| Public Trust | At “zero”—rational distrust | Swift prosecutions; no sacred cows |