Camille Naredo

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan answers questions after the launch of the  Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Milestones (BBM) project after formal Ceremonies at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific in, Barangay Alas-Asin, Mariveles, Bataan on March 31, 2023.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan answers questions after the launch of the  Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Milestones (BBM) project after formal Ceremonies at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific in, Barangay Alas-Asin, Mariveles, Bataan on March 31, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

DPWH

Harlene Delgado

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/175662966777820230331-bonoan-manuel-cavite-bataan-bridge-JC-2 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Then-Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan March 31, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Then-Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan March 31, 2023. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan has been booted out as the agency&#x27;s chief after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accepted his resignation.</p><p>This comes a day after Bonoan rejected calls for him to resign or take a leave amid controversies hounding the department over anomalous flood control projects.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/30/dpwh-chief-on-resign-calls-easier-to-do-but-not-the-right-way-to-find-solution-1319">DPWH chief on resign calls: Easier to do, but not the right way to find solution</a></div><p>&quot;In his resignation letter, Secretary Bonoan expressed support for the President&#x27;s call for accountability, transparency, and reform within the DPWH,&quot; Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez said in a statement. </p><p>Bonoan&#x27;s resignation comes amid probes into flood control projects, with Marcos having directed the public works department to submit a list of flood control projects that were &quot;started or completed in the last three years&quot; during his State of the Nation Address in July.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/-mahiya-naman-kayo-marcos-order-probe-on-corruption-in-flood-control-projects-1725">Marcos orders probe on possible corruption in flood control projects</a></div><p>Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon will take the DPWH helm to lead an &quot;anti-corruption drive.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Secretary Dizon has been tasked to conduct a full organizational sweep of the Department and ensure that public funds are used solely for infrastructure that truly protects and benefits the Filipino people,&quot; Gomez added. </p><p>Transportation Undersecretary for Administration, Finance, and Procurement Atty. Giovanni Lopez will serve as the DOTR acting secretary.</p><p>Lopez previously served as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary from 2020 - 2022 and held senior positions for critical railway, aviation, and maritime infrastructure projects.</p><p>Marcos Jr. also established an Independent Commission to Investigate Flood Control Anomalies &quot;to further reinforce accountability&quot;.</p><p>&quot;This body will conduct a comprehensive review of projects, identify irregularities, and recommend accountability measures to ensure public trust in infrastructure spending,&quot; according to Gomez. </p><p>He added that the decisions &quot;reflect the administration&#x27;s firm resolve to clean up corruption, strengthen institutions, and deliver honest and effective public service under Bagong Pilipinas&quot;.</p><p>Gomez said he is &quot;not sure&quot; if Bonoan&#x27;s resignation letter that has been accepted by Marcos Jr. was new or from the previous courtesy resignation order.</p><p>&quot;All the courtesy resignations naman have no expiry. We all serve at the pleasure of the President,&quot; he stated.</p><p>Several individuals and a lawmaker earlier urged Bonoan to resign as DPWH chief, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally inspected <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/20/marcos-inspects-flood-control-project-in-bulacan-as-probe-intensifies-0913">a P55-million river wall project in Barangay Piel, Baliwag, Bulacan</a>, and found out that — despite being marked as completed — the structure has not even started.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LAWMAKERS WELCOME CHANGE</strong></div><p>Lawmakers on Sunday welcomed the choice of Dizon as the new DPWH secretary, though they also acknowledged the &quot;immense&quot; challenge that he is facing. </p><p>&quot;We wish Sec. Vince Dizon well and pray for his success as he takes on the formidable task of leading the Department of Public Works and Highways. The challenges before him are immense—but so is the opportunity to institute long-overdue reforms in the agency,&quot; said Senate President Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero.</p><p>&quot;The hands-on approach and fresh perspective he brings will serve him well in confronting the deeply entrenched problems that have long plagued the DPWH,&quot; he added.</p><p>Senator JV Ejercito noted that Dizon has a &quot;daunting&quot; task of restoring the public&#x27;s faith in the DPWH. &quot;I wish him well and all the luck, because he would need lots of it -- maybe even a miracle to turn around the embattled department,&quot; he said.</p><p>Senator Panfilo &quot;Ping&quot; Lacson said Dizon was a &quot;good choice&quot; for DPWH secretary. &quot;I have watched and followed Vince Dizon’s indefatigable, almost daily effort to solve the numerous problems that beset the transportation sector. I can only wish him Godspeed and more importantly, good health,&quot; he said.</p><p>Meanwhile, Deputy Minority Leader Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña expressed his hope that Marcos is not merely making a &quot;knee jerk reaction&quot; in installing Dizon as the new DPWH secretary.</p><p>&quot;While Sec. Dizon has made improvements in the DOTr, hindi sapat ang pagpalit lang ng ulo sa agency. The corruption in the agency is systemic and widespread–involving contractors, district engineers, and fellow lawmakers,&quot; said Cendaña.</p><p>&quot;Kaya kailangan din sistematiko at lubusan ang reporma,&quot; Cendaña added. &quot;This is just a necessary first step in the long road  ahead to accountability and fighting corruption. Malayo pa tayo.&quot;</p><p>Moreover, Bonoan will still be invited to the hearing of the House Infrastructure Committee, according to Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, while a separate invitation will be given to Dizon. </p><p>&quot;We thank Secretary Bonoan for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors,&quot; Ridon said. &quot;The House Infrastructure Committee will nonetheless continue with its initial hearing on Tuesday, focusing on the President’s site inspections of ghost and substandard projects in Bulacan, and undercapitalized firms cornering billions of pesos in flood control contracts.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><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/law_SLFQyHE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/jshkETtDHmI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Manuel Bonoan has resigned as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Presidential Communications Office announced on Sunday.</p>

Manuel Bonoan has resigned as secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Presidential Communications Office announced on Sunday.

Bonoan out, Dizon in as new acting DPWH secretary amid flood control fiasco

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Bonoan out, Dizon in as new acting DPWH secretary amid flood control fiasco

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 31, 2025 04:33 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 01, 2025 02:32 AM PHT

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Department of Public Works and Highways

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Manuel Bonoan

Vince Dizon

Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

flood control projects

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