MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III filed Senate Bill (SB) 1835 reorganizing the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to strengthen accountability in public infrastructure projects. The senator said SB 1835 aims to rationalize the powers and functions of the DPWH regional and district offices to achieve transparency and efficiency in public infrastructure governance. The bill creates an infrastructure inspectorate team which will "livestream" on official social media channels its inspection of public works projects for transparency. Sotto said public infrastructure plays a vital role in nation-building by generating employment and addressing essential needs such as safe roads, bridges, flood control systems, and other critical public works. “As one of the departments receiving the largest budget allocations, Filipinos rightfully expect that every peso entrusted to the DPWH translates into safe, resilient, and responsive infrastructure,” he said. “It is imperative to revisit the organization of DPWH to identify where the gaps are and where opportunities for corruption may lie,” Sotto said in filing the measure. He said SB 1835 was one of the legislative measures recommended arising from the results of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation on "ghost" flood control projects wherein some lawmakers, in collusion with DPWH personnel, allegedly pocketed some funds for flood mitigation.