DPWH-Bicol tightens monitoring of District Engineers’ attendance

By Manuel T. Ugalde

LEGAZPI CITY --- Concerns over employee punctuality and attendance in government offices continue to surface, with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bicol implementing stricter measures to ensure compliance with official working hours, particularly among district engineers.

Regional Director Virgilio Eduarte has instructed the regular monitoring of the attendance of all 16 district engineers across the region, including those in the island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate. The initiative includes spot video calls during the first working hour of the day and is intended to reinforce the importance of regular office presence.

The move follows past reports about inconsistent adherence to the daily time record (DTR) system, especially the use of biometric machines designed to monitor employee attendance.

While presidential appointees like regional directors and assistant regional directors are exempt from biometric tracking, all other personnel, including district engineers, are subject to standard attendance procedures.

A source at the regional office, who requested anonymity due to lack of authority to speak, noted that some district engineers were observed reporting irregular office attendance, with a few reportedly present only three days a week on average.

The source said the new monitoring has helped improve the situation, with district offices seeing more consistent presence from their heads as early as 8:00 a.m.

The same source said there were instances when official travels were reported or validated only after the fact, and added that all travel or leave of absence should ideally have prior approval from the regional office.

In a previous internal report, the DPWH Bicol office had been flagged for the need to strengthen oversight mechanisms, especially in ensuring compliance with Civil Service rules.

One measure undertaken was the designation of the administrative division to monitor compliance with biometric reporting. However, the practice reportedly waned over time.

Director Eduarte has since taken a more hands-on approach by personally verifying the presence of district engineers through virtual checks. While this adds to his already demanding responsibilities, the strategy has reportedly led to improved attendance records.

Among the 16 district engineering offices in Bicol, the office in Catanduanes has drawn particular attention due to persistent administrative concerns.

The DPWH regional office has yet to issue a formal statement on whether the current monitoring setup will be institutionalized or expanded further.