Bantay Lansangan volunteers, DPWH directors to discuss concerns on road quality
Bantay Lansangan (BL) volunteers and the Public works and Highways Directors from the Visayas will exchange monitoring findings on the quality of roads as implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The dialogue is a highlight of the first ever BL roadshow in Iloilo city, on September 23-25, part of a series being done nationwide.
Media Specialist Roque Cesar, event organizer, said the activity is also a training workshop on tools on volunteer management, procurement monitoring and social accountabilityfor BL member entities.
Cesar said BL is a partnership of multi-sectoral organizations that mobilize the active participation of members to act collectively and strategically in monitoring the performance of the DPWH in providing quality road sector services to the public.
BL was constituted through the Road Watch Project started in November 2007, under the Philippines-Australia Partnership for Economic Governance Reforms.
BL is tasked to monitor and advocate reforms in the Philippine road sector, to reduce costs for road construction and maintenance, increase road users’ satisfaction and improve the public’s perception of the DPWH.
BL member organizations include: Alliance of Unified Transport and Telecom Organizations, Australian AID (observer), Automobile Association Philippines, Catholic Media Network, Center for national Budget legislation, Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government, Confederation of Filipino Consulting Organizations, Inc., DPWH, Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers of the Philippines, Inc., Government Watch-Ateneo school of government, Intercity Bus Operation Association of the Philippines, Land Transportation Office-East Avenue, quezon city, National Center for Transportation Studies, National Constructors Association of the Philippines, Office of the Ombudsman, Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in the Rural Areas, Philippine center for Investigative Journalism (observer) Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, Provincial Bus Operations Association of the Philippines, The World bank, and Transparency and Accountability Network which serves as BL Coordinator through a Secretariat.
Cesar said selected members of BL together with the DPWH officials, will also face the media to answer questions as well as brief them on their findings. And updates on road quality service in the Visayas. (GHD/PIA6/ESS)