DPWH suspends wearing of uniform for employees after bullying due to flood-control issue
The Department of Public Works and Highways has issued an order suspending the wearing of office uniforms among its employees due to harassment from the public amid the probe into anomalous flood-control projects.
In a memorandum signed by DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, all officials and employees of the department are "excused from wearing the prescribed office uniform until further notice." This was "in light of current events."
"All officials and employees of the DPWH are nevertheless expected to report for duty in appropriate and presentable attire at all times, in accordance with Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 16, s. 2024 (Revised Dress Code for Government Officials and Employees), and in keeping with the standards of professionalism in public service," the memorandum stated.
In an interview on ANC Headstart, Dizon explained that the move comes after many of the department's employees have been on the receiving side of verbal abuse from the public who associate them with the ongoing corruption probe.
"Thousands ang empleyado ng DPWH, but I firmly believe, and [former DPWH secretaries] Babes Singson and Ping de Jesus agreed with me, that by and large most of the people in this department are good people. They are honest people, kaya my heart bleeds for them," he said.
"I issued a memo just recently about uniforms. Because the union of DPWH told me, 'Sir, 'yung mga tao natin kawawa naman. Sumasakay sila sa MRT, sa jeep, sa bus, naka-DPWH [uniform] sila, kinukutya sila, hinaharass sila ng mga kababayan natin, they don't deserve that," he added.
Dizon stressed that these people are "just doing their jobs" and do not deserve the hate.
"Kaya nag-issue ako ng order, huwag na muna kayo mag-uniform. Requirement kasi 'yan eh. Tinanggal ko 'yung requirement kasi kawawa naman," he added.
The Philippines is currently in shambles due to allegations of corruption involving the government's flood control projects.
The issue began in July as the rains triggered massive flooding in the metro. At the time, Sen. Ping Lacson told dzBB that since 2011, about P1 trillion allocated for flood control projects may have been lost to corruption.
The corruption issue has since been a hot topic in the news and on social media for weeks now. Some users, including celebrities and personalities, even turned their attention to the children of politicians and major contractors, whom they call "nepo babies," for flaunting their lavish lifestyles and frequent travels.
Dizon has now filed criminal complaints against officials of the Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office and four private contractors linked to anomalous flood control projects.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has meanwhile announced the creation of an organization that will investigate the anomalous flood control projects.
