Bohol politicians tagged for posting ads ahead of polls

Local politicians deserved a special mention from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for putting up their political advertisements on public works projects just months ahead of the 2013 elections.

Despite an order from President Benigno Aquino III to the DPWH and local politicians to refrain from using government projects to promote themselves by erecting billboards with their photos, officials here in Bohol have been observed to have openly violated the President’s directive.

Five provinces are being cited in a DPWH report, where seemingly stubborn government officials could not be restrained from self-aggrandizement. Aside from Bohol, the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Maguindanao, Taw-Tawi and Basilan were also cited in the report.

According to DPWH Undersecretary Romeo Momo, they would confer with local officials to stop using public works projects from being used by politicians in promoting themselves.

“We will talk with the local officials and show them the Department Order. The DPWH district engineers will explain to them that they should not put their self-advertisement in project billboards,” Undersecretary Momo said.

Several billboards, bearing photos and names of politicians, alongside government projects, such as roads, school buildings and other public facilities have been seen sprouting all over Bohol, notably in the First Congressional District.

The DPWH said they will remove these billboards if the local officials and politicians do not tear down these political propaganda materials after they have been duly notified by their district engineers.

Contractors who likewise put up these billboards to gain good favor from their patrons in elected posts will also be warned from doing so. Violations could be grounds for these contractors to be blacklisted and banned from participating in bidding for government projects, the DPWH official said.