Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque, who also serves as Chair of the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines (CIAP), has placed CIAP and its implementing boards — including the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) — under her direct supervision, pending the outcome of a comprehensive investigation into the agency and its officials.
PCAB plays a critical role in regulating and accrediting contractors in the Philippines, ensuring that construction projects meet both legal and quality standards.
“Placing them under my direct supervision will ensure that order, transparency and accountability is restored within these agencies,” Secretary Roque stated.
The lady chief’s move followed after President Marcos Jr. unveiled a list of contractors of undelivered, defective and ghost government flood control projects. This leadership intervention underscores the DTI’s unwavering commitment to prevent mismanagement and any conduct detrimental to its agencies, the DTI statement said.
Secretary Roque vowed a thorough review of PCAB’s current board members and officials, and to recommend actions, including their potential removal, to the President. This investigation follows numerous allegations of conflicts of interest, accreditation irregularities, and potential abuses of authority that have called into question the integrity of the Board’s operations.
“Full transparency and cooperation are mandatory, and those who breach the trust and mandate entrusted to us will be held accountable,” Secretary Roque emphasized.
The move signals a renewed focus on accountability and better governance within CIAP and PCAB as they undergo this significant review and clean-up.
“This is about ensuring accountability and transparency,” stated Secretary Roque. “The DTI will pursue this investigation thoroughly, fairly, and without fear or favor. Those found to have engaged in wrongdoing or who compromised the public interest will be held accountable. We will not hesitate to recommend to the President the removal of anyone found to have compromised the public interest or engaged in wrongdoing.”
To support this effort, the DTI has formed a Fact-finding Team to oversee the investigation process, in accordance to due process and applicable law, coordinate with relevant agencies, and recommend systemic reforms to prevent future lapses.
The DTI emphasizes that this inquiry forms part of its broader mandate to protect stakeholders and/or consumers in the construction industry and to uphold the highest standard of governance in public service.
