President Bongbong Marcos has ordered a Cabinet reshuffle, returning Vince Dizon to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and appointing Giovanni Lopez as the new head of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Monday, Oct. 26. Malacañang said the exchange aims to accelerate reforms and improve public services.
Communications Secretary Lino Cayetano announced the changes during a Palace press conference, emphasizing the need to sustain reforms in both agencies.
“We are shifting gears to accelerate reform. Secretary Dizon goes to DOTr to fix the daily commute. Secretary Lopez goes to DPWH to make sure the reforms there last,” Marcos said, as quoted by Cayetano.
Dizon took over the DPWH in September 2025 amid investigations into anomalous flood-control projects. His tenure saw the introduction of a public transparency portal, the blacklisting of contractors linked to questionable projects, tighter procurement safeguards, and a reduction of approximately ₱255 billion in the agency’s proposed 2026 budget.
One of his major anti-corruption actions was signing a 26-page DPWH referral dated November 21, 2025, asking the Ombudsman to investigate former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, and other individuals over possible plunder, graft, and bribery.
The referral examined government contracts awarded to Sunwest Inc. and Hi-Tone Construction, alongside corporate records, DPWH project data, and testimony presented during Senate hearings.
Nearly 10 months later, Romualdez and Co were charged in a ₱7.4-billion plunder case involving alleged kickbacks from government infrastructure projects.
Dizon also prioritized unfinished infrastructure, expanded public access to project information, and pushed for the completion of long-delayed construction projects.
Lopez, a lawyer and certified public accountant, will now oversee efforts to preserve these reforms and establish permanent safeguards against corruption.
Dizon, meanwhile, returns to the DOTr with a renewed mandate to improve public transportation and address the daily commuting problems faced by Filipinos.
