QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Vince Dizon was sworn in as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Sept. 1, 2025, succeeding Manuel Bonoan, who resigned amid public outrage over anomalous flood control projects.
Upon taking the reins at the controversy-ridden DPWH, Dizon announced his plans to clean house and thereby improve public confidence.
In a press conference on the same day, Dizon stressed the urgency of regaining public trust. He enumerated the directives given by President Marcos Jr., such as the ordering of courtesy resignations of DPWH officials from top to bottom, including the positions of undersecretary, assistant secretary, division head, regional director and district engineer nationwide.
“Iyan po ang unang direktiba ng pangulo. Nag-usap po kami nang matagal kanina. Ang sabi niya, linisin ang DPWH,” said Dizon.
Dizon also ordered the immediate lifetime blacklisting of contractors proven to have overseen ghost projects, as well as announced the sweeping revamp of the Philippine Contractors’ Accreditation Board, which is to be done in collaboration with the Office of the President and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Dizon’s Rise
Dizon had risen to national prominence under the previous Duterte administration, where he served as the CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) from 2016 to 2021.
Dizon’s BCDA oversaw the further development of the Clark Freeport Zone, Clark Global City, New Clark City, and the Clark International Airport.BCDA’s plan to develop New Clark City as a ‘green city’ has generated significant backlash from rights groups for the forcible displacement of Aetas and other Indigenous Peoples in the Tarlac area.
In 2020, a graft and malversation complaint was filed by Citizens Crime Watch Association against Dizon, Government Corporate Counsel Elpidio Vega, and Malaysian MTD Capital Berhad’s Isaac David for anomalies over the joint venture agreement to construct the New Clark sports facilities for the 2019 SEA Games. The OGCC and COA raised concerns regarding the ₱11 billion deal. The BCDA maintained the agreement’s legality.
In 2021, Dizon resigned as president of BCDA, but continued to play a key role in the Duterte Administration as Deputy Chief Implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 and Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects.
Public-Private Partnership Against Flooding
In order to address the flooding issues, Dizon stressed the importance of collaboration between the national government, local government, and the private sector.
Arguing for the involvement of the private sector, he claimed that the government could not solve these issues alone. He specifically named Ramon Ang of San Miguel Corporation (SMC), who had recently expressed publicly his willingness to help the government solve the nation’s flooding problem at no cost.
Ang’s SMC is also responsible for the Pasig River Expressway (PAREx) Project, a 19.37-kilometer expressway linking the City of Manila and Rizal.
When announced in 2021, the project met with public opposition due to environmental concerns, including increased air and noise pollution, traffic congestion, and the further decay of the Pasig River ecosystem. Following these criticisms, Ang had initially shelved the project, but has since affirmed his commitment to its revival.
DPWH Cooperation with ICI
In a memorandum dated 18 September, Dizon ordered the full cooperation of DPWH officials and employees with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) in its investigations into the flood control anomalies. Personnel are strictly directed to provide the ICI with all relevant documents, information, and testimonies.
The ICI is composed of presidential appointees and is mandated with the investigation of flood control corruption spanning the last ten years. Rogelio Singson and Rossana Fajardo serve as members, with Justice Andres B. Reyes Jr leading the commission as chair. Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong serves as Special Advisor to the Commission.
Dizon has also written to various government agencies to request a list of assets belonging to personalities tagged in anomalies. The Court of Appeals had earlier approved Dizon’s application for the issuance of freeze orders against implicated individuals.
Among the listed individuals are dismissed DPWH officials Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez, as well as private contractors Sarah and Curlee Discaya.
“Such preemptive action is necessary to safeguard assets from disposal and ensure that ongoing government efforts to combat corruption and money laundering are not undermined,” read Dizon’s letter.
