PNoy leads activation of DPWH hotline

President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday led the activation of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ call center hotline 165-02 by making the inaugural call. The DPWH hotline 165-02 is now available 24/7 to those who wish to report damaged roads and other public infrastructure, inquire about the department's projects, make suggestions, file complaints and even report wrongdoings of DPWH officials and employees. During the 113th anniversary of the DPWH, the President delivered a speech lauding the agency’s 24 hour hotline as a pioneering effort in improving public services by allowing the DPWH to attend to calls made by ordinary citizens. “Ngayon may 165-02 hotline na ang DPWH na bukas beinte-kuwatro oras, isang tawag na lang ay maaari nang maipaabot ni Juan dela Cruz ang kaniyang mga hinaing o mungkahi sa DPWH," Aquino said. “Sagisag itong palaging bukas ang inyong ahensya sa anumang suhestiyon at reklamo na magbibigay-daan sa paghahatid ng mas mataas na kalidad ng serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan," he added. For his part, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said the launching of the call center hotline “signifies our commitment to provide higher levels of service in the coming years." “Filipinos anywhere in the country can now just call '165-02' if they see any potholes in our roads or if they have any other concerns with the department. The DPWH anniversary is certainly the perfect time to launch this call center," Singson said. Immediate response to queries, complaints The services for the hotline was procured through open and competitive bidding and awarded to SPi-CRM Inc. (formerly the ePLDT Ventus Inc.). It has 10 customer service representatives who accept the calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The DPWH National Capital Region and its District Engineering Offices are directly connected to the system to immediately respond to complaints and queries within Metro Manila while those concerning areas outside Metro Manila will be handled and monitored by the DPWH-Public Information Division-Complaints and Action Center. The call center can record calls; generate daily, weekly, monthly and yearly monitoring report; and give out travel/ traffic advisory to accurately inform the general public of road conditions during repair works and calamities. P7-B savings due to bidding reforms Also in his speech, Aquino lauded the DPWH for saving some P7-billion from implementing reforms, such as a more transparent and stricter bidding process which led to the cancelation of anomalous public works contracts. “Tumatahak na nga po sa tuwid na daan ang inyong ahensya. Patunay dito ang pagbusisi ninyo sa walumpu't anim na kontratang nasa ilalim ng Post-Ondoy and Pepeng Short-Term Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project na may kabuuang halaga na 3.5 bilyong piso," he said. “Labing siyam (19) po sa mga kontratang ito ay kinansela natin matapos na maungkat na ilan sa mga ito ay pinalusot dahil sa mga politikal na kadahilanan at hindi talaga dumaan sa patas na bidding process," he added. He said that the DPWH tarnished image was slowly being erased, noting that an additional P2.12-billion was saved from July 2010 to April 2011 due to the agency’s implementation of stringent public bidding rules. All these savings, the President said, would go to the construction of more schools and hospitals. "At bago po matapos ang taong 2011, inaasahang ang kabuuang matitipid natin ay aabot sa humigit-kumulang pitong bilyong piso, na maaaring pandagdag sa mga ipapatayo nating paaralan at pagamutan," Aquino said. “Wala pong duda na unti-unti nang nabubura ang madungis na reputasyong matagal nang pinapasan ng DPWH, at humahakbang na tayo tungo sa mas maaliwalas at tuwid na kabanata sa kasaysayan ng inyong ahensya," he said. —MRT/KBK, GMA News