DPWH

The Department is considered as old as the Philippine

government, its existence dates back to about 4 centuries at the
time of the Spanish colonial era. It emerged from its embryonic
form in 1565 when the first settlement roads were constructed
by forced labor. Fortresses then were connected by improved
trails as supply lines and means of communications. As Spain
was in its expansion program in the islands, it resorted to a
policy of attraction by way of public works construction. In order
to pursue their objective, the King of Spain designated the
Spanish Governor General in the country as Chief of Public
Works assisted by Junta Consultiva through a Royal Degree in
1867.
It was in 1868 when the Bureau of Public Works and
Highways (Obras Publicas) and Bureau of Communications and
Transportation (Communicationes y Meteologia) were organized
under a civil enginer known as Director General.
Since then, the Department underwent various stages of
development and evolution that largely depended upon the
change in government shift of administration policies, and
reorganization in its structure and responsibilities to suit the
demands of times.
Finally after a long process of evolution by virtue of Executive
Order No. 124, dated January 30, 1987, the agency is now
known as the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) with five (5) bureaus, six (6) services, sixteen (16
regional offices, twenty-four (24) project management offices
sixteen (16) regional equipment services and one-hundred
eighteen (118) district engineering offices.
EVOLUTION OF DPWH
Department of War and Public Works ---1898
The Organic Decree of the Philippine Revolutionary
Government on June 23, 1898 issued by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
provided for the creation of four (4) Departments in the
government, one of which was the DEPARTMENT OF WAR
AND PUBLIC WORKS.
Though once included in the Department of War, now
Department of National Defense, its functions as builder and

maintainer of roads, bridges and other public works structures

are inherent in the present Department.
The Department of Commerce and Police ---1902
In 1902, the Philippine Commission passed Act Nos. 222
and 268 creating the Department of Commerce and Police
which gave birth to the Bureau of Engineering and Construction
of public works and the Bureau of Architecture and Construction
of public buildings.
The Department of Commerce and Police ---1902
Act No. 1401 of the Philippine Commission passed on
October 4, 1905, abolished engineering districts and positions
of district engineers. On October 26 of the same year, however,
by virtue of a Reorganization Act, the Bureau of Public Works
was created and placed under the Department of Commerce
and Police. Along with the economic growth of the country was
the need for a more extensive road network that would
penetrate the rural areas. In order to achieve that end,
provincial boards were created in 1907 with authority to collect
double cedula taxes to finance the construction of provincial
roads and bridges. In addition, the national government
appropriated P1,700,000 as aid to such constructions.
The Department of Commerce and Communications---1916
A significant headway in the growth of the DPWH was the
first appearance of motor vehicles in the Philippine highways in
1910. Roads and bridges had to be kept in good condition at all
times. Naturally, there was a need for funds to keep the roads
passable the whole year round. To raise such needed funds,
motor vehicles and drivers plying the highways were required to
register with fee in 1921. To keep pace with further
development in transportation and communications, the
Department of Commerce and Police was transformed into the
Department of Commerce and Communications under
Reorganization Act No. 2666 of 1916.
The Department of Public Works and Communications
---May 1, 1931

More development for the Department took place in 1931

when the Philippine Legislature passed on May 1 of that year
Act No. 4007, renaming the Department of Commerce and
Communications as Department of Public Works and
Communications. This Act, however, did not state the proper
composition and functions of the DPWC.
The Department of Public Works, Transportation and
Communications ---1951
Under Executive Order No. 392 in 1951, the DPWC was
again reconstituted to Department of Public Works,
Transportation and Communications (DPWTC) to include the
Bureaus of Public Works, Posts, Telecommunications, Motor
Vehicles Office, Irrigation Council, Flood Control Commission,
Radio Control Board, National Transportation Board and
Government Quarters Committee.
In relation to road and bridge construction and maintenance,
the Bureau of Public Highways was created in 1954 by virtue of
the Republic Act No. 1192 and placed under the Department of
Public Works, Transportation and Communications. This Act
provided for a more effective management of the Philippine
Highways under a Commissioner. Active plans & programs
were formulated & implemented.
The Department of Public Works and Highways--- January
30, 1987
Finally, by virtue of Executive Order No. 124, dated January
30, 1987, the agency is now known as the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) with five (5) bureaus, six (6)
services, 16 regional offices, 24 project management offices, 16
regional equipment services and 118 district engineering offices.
As the primary engineering and construction arm of the
government, the DPWH is responsible for the planning, design,
construction and maintenance of infrastructures such as roads
and bridges, flood control systems, water resource development
projects and other public works in accordance with national
objectives.
ABOUT THE LOGO

The design conveys the idea of Filipino engineering

excellence with sub-themes such as the fine craftsmanship of
Filipino design engineers, architects and the whole field of
engineering profession, competence and integrity .
The most noticeable is the gear frame which is completely
circular. The gear represents motion, transmission and
direction towards the common mans economic and social
upliftment.
The term against the backdrop and while the highway
cuts through the doric column, it does not convey divisiveness
but instead conveys that the road stretches to infinity
complemented hand-in-hand by the prosecution of the public
works projects represented by the doric column. This denotes
unity of objectives and unity of efforts.
urban community infrastructure and other public works. Thus,
the doric column and the highway should be taken in a total
context.
The divisions within the pillar represents the Departments
five (5) bureaus, namely: Design, Construction, Maintenance,
Equipment and Materials and Quality Control.
MANDATES AND FUNCTIONS
MANDATES
The DPWH is mandated to undertake
the planning of infrastructure, such as natural roads and
bridges, flood control water resources projects and other
public works,
(b) the design, construction and maintenance of national
roads and bridges, and major flood control systems.
FUNCTIONS
The DPWH functions as the engineering construction arm of the
government tasked to continuously develop its technology for
the purpose of ensuring the safety of all infrastructure facilities
and securing for all public works and highways the highest
efficiency and quality in construction.

 DPWH is currently responsible for the planning design,

construction and maintenance of infrastructure, especially the
national highways, flood control and water resources
development system and other public works in accordance with
national development objectives.
DPWH REFORMS
Guided by the overall policy directive of President Benigno
S. Aquino IIIs Tuwid Na Landas, DPWH Secretary Rogelio
L. Singson laid down his DPWH Transformation Framework,
with the following objectives:
transform the organization and its employees;
simplify/innovate to reduce corruption and improve
efficiency; and,
optimize resources.
IMPROVEMENT
HIGHLIGHTS
IMPROVEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
DPWH Reforms through Information Technology:
Significant improvements in areas related to streamlining
operations, strengthening internal controls, and, improving
transparency have been undertaken with the use of
IT( Information Technology). By providing automated controls
that ensure compliance and prevent discretionary application of
the policies and procedures that govern a process, IT is without
doubt an effective means of organizational change.
Project Implementation
Civil works project management training, the Civil Works
Registry and the MIS developed Document Tracking System
(DoTS) are IT tools to ensure the efficient fast tracking of project
implementation in the Department. In addition, improved
planning tools, infrastructure right of way procedures and an
upcoming right of way management system, as well as
improvements in financial management with the production of
contractor billing guidelines, etc. are also key enablers of this
policy.
Transparency in Operation/Administration

One of the vital issues addressed in transparency is in the

procurement process. To increase transparency in the area of
procurement, the Civil Works Registry (CWR) has significantly
improved the process, together with the posting of information
in the DPWH website. The DPWH website, in fact, is a
reservoir of information that provides for transparency. Further,
many new policies and procedures in several areas of operation
of various improvement projects
implemented under
RIMSS(Road Information and Management Support System)
prevent discretionary or arbitrary decisions.
Use of Information Technology
Through RIMSS, the Department has now a state of the
art voice and data communications network that eliminated
long distance expenses within the Department between Offices
connected and provided email capabilities. Whats more, the
network also enables data to be stored centrally in Manila and
updated and accessed nationwide to provide up-to-date,
accurate, and reliable data for decision making and monitoring.
The provision of computer equipment and software, as well
as the extensive training programs offered by MIS, further adds
to the IT foundation.
Accountability
Ensuring clear policies and procedures for the various
operations is the first step for accountability and this is also a
driving force under the RIMSS reforms. For example, the
Executive Information System will enable the Executive
Committee to monitor performance of the various offices.
One of the recently started improvement projects is the
cleaning up of the Department Orders -- as it is often difficult
to determine which ones are still in effect-- and the automation
of these will allow quick searches by topic.

Organizational Culture
DPWH has recognized that organizational culture change is a
must. Efforts are underway to address this important aspect in order
to to ensure sustainability of the improvements implemented so far and
pursue even more changes in the future.