Gov’t contractors accreditation board member owns high 5 agency on Marcos record

Senator Panfilo Lacson flags ‘potential battle of curiosity’ involving two board members of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board. Considered one of them is Erni Baggao, proprietor and president of EGB Development Company.

MANILA, Philippines – One of many three board members of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board or PCAB, a authorities physique that may problem or revoke licenses of contractors, is the proprietor of an organization that bagged the fifth largest quantity of flood management tasks within the nation.

Engineer Erni Baggao, who was appointed to the PCAB in 2023, is the proprietor and president of EGB Development Company. It ranked fifth in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s record of largest contractors from 2022 to 2025, bagging a complete of P7.7 billion value of flood management tasks, together with their joint ventures.

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday night time, August 29, flagged that “there may be potential battle of curiosity involving your two board administrators in violation of RA 6713,” referring to Baggao and engineer Arthur Escalante. Lacson flagged that their firms each received authorities contracts.

“Underneath Part 7 of RA 6713, public officers throughout their inumbency shall not personal, management, or handle any non-public enterprise regulated or licensed by their workplace; nor have interaction within the non-public apply of their career,” Lacson stated.

Rappler couldn’t instantly attain Baggao once we texted and referred to as his quantity on Saturday, August 30. Escalante instructed Rappler over a telephone name on Saturday that he would favor to elucidate on the Senate listening to on Monday, which he would attend.

By legislation or underneath Republic Act No. 4566, the members of the board have to have been a contractor for 10 years or extra. However among the many three present board members. together with Pericles Dakay, solely EGB Development bagged flood management tasks from the Division of Public Works and Highways throughout Marcos’ time period.

EGB relies in Ilagan Metropolis, Isabela, and the corporate is value P5.3 billion on the finish of 2024, in accordance with its newest monetary assertion. The corporate earned a web revenue of P202 million in 2024, in comparison with a web revenue of P64 million in 2023, which is a 216% improve.

Baggao can be the appearing common supervisor of Isabela Electrical Cooperative II or ISELCOII, which gives electrical energy within the northern half of Isabela. EGB’s highway and drainage improve mission in Baguio Metropolis in 2020 had as soon as been rated poor by the Constructors’ Efficiency Analysis System.

Rappler earlier reported that EGB Development can be a three way partnership accomplice of native contractor Dragon Twelve, which is owned by the brother of Ilagan Metropolis, Isabela Mayor Jay Diaz.

EGB and Dragon Twelve as soon as donated bikes to the Christmas get together of the provincial authorities of Isabela. The provincial authorities has awarded contracts to each EGB and Dragon Twelve, in accordance with paperwork uploaded on the web site of the province of Isabela.

Lacson stated in his assertion that PCAB should examine info alleging that the physique is concerned in an “accreditation on the market” modus.

“PCAB licenses usually are not on the market. The Board has not approved any particular person, group, or third-party advisor to behave on its behalf or to ensure contractor accreditation in change for cash,” PCAB stated in an announcement on Thursday, August 28.

PCAB stated it was conscious that some unscrupulous individuals could also be misrepresenting themselves.

“PCAB has been proactive in addressing this problem — conducting investigations, reporting faux social media accounts, and coordinating with the right authorities to guard the general public and the trade,” it stated. – Rappler.com