Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

PCAB Executive Director Herbert Matienzo during a House hearing on Sept. 3, 2025. House of Representatives livestream/screegrab

Article (news)

PCAB

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756946626286cropped-Screen Shot 2025-09-04 at 8.43.08 AM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">PCAB Executive Director Herbert Matienzo during a House hearing on Sept. 3, 2025. House of Representatives livestream/screegrab</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> — Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) executive director Herbert Matienzo has resigned from his post in the wake of the alleged &quot;registration for sale&quot; scheme, among other supposed irregularities in the office.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/31/lacson-pcab-extorts-from-contractors-for-license-1633">Lacson: PCAB extorts from contractors for license</a></div><p>Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque confirmed that Matienzo resigned on Wednesday and she accepted it on the same day.</p><p>Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson earlier accused PCAB of allowing the sale of accreditations and has extorted money from contractors in return for licenses.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/3/solon-seeks-lifestyle-check-on-pcab-executive-director-0128">Solon seeks lifestyle check on PCAB executive director</a></div><p>House Deputy Speaker Jefferson Khonghun has also called for a lifestyle check on Matienzo after receiving reports that the official was living in the posh Ayala, Alabang neighborhood. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fvideos%2F616043754918740%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>Roque placed the Construction Industry Association of the Philippines (CIAP) and its implementing boards like PCAB under her direct supervision following the allegations.</div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/2/pcab-eyes-action-against-9-discaya-owned-construction-firms-2209">PCAB eyes &#x27;action’ against 9 Discaya-owned construction firms</a></div><p>DTI said this was being done to restore integrity and transparency through a major revamp.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;RESIGNATION NOT ENOUGH&#x27;</strong></div><p>Lacson said he is not satisfied by Matienzo&#x27;s resignation because &quot;a complete overhaul of the PCAB board is in order at this point.&quot;</p><p>He called the little-known PCAB aa &quot;low-key yet corruption-ridden&quot; body that, with the Department of Public Works and Highways, he said hit Filipino taxpayers woth &quot;a one-two punch&quot; of corruption. </p><p>Sen. Erwin Tulfo meanwhile said the resignation did not come as a surprise given the positions that President Ferdinand Marcos and Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon have taken on alleged corruption in infrastructure projects.</p><p>Dizon had already called for courtesy resignations from DPWH officials as part of an effort to clean up the agency.</p><p>&quot;Bagama’t inaasahan na ito, dapat siguruhin na lahat ng mga dokumento na maaaring gamiting ebidensya tungkol sa mga hinihinalang anomalya sa flood control projects ay maitabi at maitago. Hindi rin porke’t nag-resign ay abswelto na! Tuloy ang imbestigasyon sa kanila kahit wala na sila sa puwesto. &quot;</p><p>(Although this was expected, we have to make sure that documents that can serve as evidence on suspicious flood control projects are kept and preserved. Their resignation does not absolve them. The investigation will continue even if they have left their posts)</p><p>He added he hopes the resignations and terminations will lead to testimonies on substandard and non-existent flood control projects.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MATIENZO TESTIFIES AT SENATE</strong></div><p>Matienzo testified last Monday before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation on the allegedly anomalous flood control programs of the Department of Public Works and Highways.</p><p>Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III pointed out then that companies linked to contractors Pacifico “Curlee” II and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya shared an address based on a court filing.</p><p>Matienzo replied they were unaware of the court filing but said the board would look into it.</p><p>&quot;And in case there is a misrepresentation, sir, then the PCAB has—following the rules on license contracting,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/3/9-discaya-firms-lose-licenses-for-bidding-against-each-other-on-projects-1249"><strong>9 Discaya firms lose licenses for bidding against each other on projects<br/></strong></a></div><p>Sen. JV Ejercito also linked Matienzo to the supposed upgrade of the ratings of contractors, which would have allowed them to undertake large scale projects.</p><p>PCAB ratings determine the limits of the scale of the projects a contractor can undertake for the government.</p><p>He told Matienzo to submit information on how many contractors the PCAB gave &#x27;AAA&#x27; and &#x27;AAAA&#x27; ratings, the highest categories for builders.</p><p>Matienzo committed to submit documents to answer Ejercito&#x27;s query.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fa3HGj6LXb0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque confirmed that Matienzo resigned on Wednesday and she accepted it on the same day.</p>

Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque confirmed that Matienzo resigned on Wednesday and she accepted it on the same day.

PH contractors board chief quits amid 'registration for sale' allegation

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PH contractors board chief quits amid 'registration for sale' allegation

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 04, 2025 08:51 AM PHT

|

Updated Sep 04, 2025 12:48 PM PHT

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Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board

PCAP

contractors

DTI

Herbert Matienzo

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