Camille Naredo

Article (news)

DPWH

Andrea Taguines

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/175725682610020250903-dbm-dpwh-presscon-pangandaman-dizon-MT7 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Newly appointed DPWH Secretary Vince B. Dizon at a press conference at the Department of Budget and Management headquarters in Manila on September 3, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Newly appointed DPWH Secretary Vince B. Dizon at a press conference at the Department of Budget and Management headquarters in Manila on September 3, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Faced with the daunting task of cleaning up the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) amid the multibillion peso flood control mess, newly-installed Secretary Vince Dizon met with former agency heads Rogelio Singson and Jose &quot;Ping&quot; De Jesus on Sunday to seek their guidance.</p><p>Singson, who led the DPWH during the administration of former President Benigno &quot;Noynoy&quot; Aquino III, said he advised Dizon to continue looking into the flood control projects of the top 15 contractors earlier publicized by Malacañang, particularly those with ghost projects, as well as the government officials and employees who colluded with them.</p><p>&quot;May paper trail naman yan. Sino nag-approve? Sino bids and awards committee? Sino nag-inspect? May COA (Commission on Audit) inspector dapat yan or post-audit. Paid na (yung project), tapos natanggap na, o anong ginawa nung COA? Mate-trace yun,&quot; Singson told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>&quot;Doon lang sa 15 contractors, identified na niya saan-saan nangyari mga contracts nila e. Focus lang siya doon sa 15 yun, marami na siyang matatanggal doon, masasampolan na yun,&quot; he added.</p><p>While Singson believes that the problem dates back to nearly a decade ago, he said it may be easier to start with the DPWH budget and other records from recent years.</p><p>&quot;Mas mahirap kasi yung mga &#x27;21, &#x27;22, yung ganun dahil tinanggap na e, pati yung warranty period niyan baka nag-expire na o nag-lapse na. Iwan mo na muna yun dahil pareho namang contractors yata ang involved hanggang ngayon. It looks like it&#x27;s the same contractors from after 2017, 2018, mukhang sila-sila rin,&quot; he said.</p><p>For Singson, Dizon made the right move in suspending the bidding of all pending projects. He said ongoing flood control projects should also be assessed.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/1/-clean-slate-from-top-to-bottom-vince-dizon-to-order-courtesy-resignations-of-dpwh-officials-1221">READ: Vince Dizon to order courtesy resignations of DPWH officials</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/4/dpwh-permanently-blacklists-wawao-builders-0959">READ: DPWH &#x27;permanently&#x27; blacklists Wawao Builders</a></div><p>&quot;Wag na muna ipatuloy at review-hin kung tama ba yan. Is it the right project? Is it the right cost? Yung dalawang tanong lang na yan, makikita mo na kung palusot e… Pagka nag-shortcut, pwede mo na kaagad tanggalin or i-recover mo yung pera, hindi mo na babayaran… Ang importante maka-recover man lang ng kaunti ang gobyerno doon sa mga itinapon,&quot; he said.</p><p>Asked how Dizon took in all their recommendations, Singson quipped: &quot;Bata pa naman si Vince e, so hindi na matutulog yun.&quot;</p><p>To help him out, Singson said they also suggested some names from the private sector that Dizon can invite to his team, after all DPWH executives, from undersecretaries to assistant district engineers, were asked to submit their courtesy resignations.</p><p>But he did not specify who.</p><p>&quot;Ngayon nasa private sector na yung mga yun, mga consultants na yun. Pero naiintidihan kung ano yung kailangang gawin kasi kailangan niya talaga ng tulong, no doubt. Kasi talagang, I think, halos, marami siyang tatanggaping mga resignations e,&quot; hinted Singson.</p><p>He added that it&#x27;s best to include the local government units (LGU) more as well.</p><p>&quot;Sabi ko, hindi, wag kang matakot (na maubos ang DPWH officials), marami namang matitinong LGU who will be willing to undertake infrastructure projects in their localities. Tsaka mas mura nilang gagawin. Hindi na magrereklamo yung LGU na hindi nila alam. Sila ang makikinabang kung aayusin nila nang tama,&quot; he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/5/dizon-to-erase-red-flags-in-proposed-2026-budget-for-dpwh-1045">READ: Dizon to &#x27;erase red flags&#x27; in proposed 2026 budget for DPWH</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WHAT ABOUT CONGRESSIONAL INSERTIONS?</strong><strong><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/175725677960120171211-senate-dpwh-hearing--1-JC.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson at the Senate inquiry on DPWH projects, December 11, 2017. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson at the Senate inquiry on DPWH projects, December 11, 2017. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></strong></div><p>According to Singson, the jig usually starts when lawmakers insert pet projects into the National Expenditure Program.</p><p>&quot;Lahat yan dumaan doon e,&quot; he said.</p><p>He said he hopes Congress will also be able to do house cleaning, just like what the DPWH is embarking on.</p><p>&quot;Sabi daw ni Presidente na walang insertions in the coming budget. Hopefully, which is what we&#x27;ve been saying all along, mag-house cleaning na dyan sa executive. Ganun din dapat sa House (of Representatives) at tsaka sa Senate,&quot; he said.</p><p>But should some insertions still make it to the 2026 budget, Singson said the new DPWH leadership could always choose not to implement the questionable projects.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/9/5/dizon-defers-hearing-on-2026-dpwh-budget-pending-sweeping-review-of-items-1427">READ: Dizon defers presentation of 2026 DPWH budget pending &#x27;sweeping review&#x27;</a></div><p>&quot;Pwedeng hindi gawin kung talagang masama yung proyekto. Ginawa ko yun e. Pag nag-insert kayo dyan at wala sa menu ng programs namin, kahit nandyan, hindi ko gagawin. Maliwanag na message yun,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Kakasuhan nila ako? May budget, hindi ko inexecute? O edi mag-usap tayo. Saan galing yan, anong gagawin natin dyan, kailangan ba yan o hindi? Gusto mo ilabas niyo sa media, tignan natin sinong bubugbugin dyan,&quot; added Singson.</p><p>Moving forward, Singson said Dizon can finally implement the flood control master plan he left behind but noted that he also has to study it first.</p><p>&quot;Ano ba yung napondohan, alin yung hindi? Alin yung masama ang pagkagawa? They have to see what&#x27;s in there per major river,&quot; he said.</p><p>Malacañang earlier denied claims that the Marcos Jr. administration was ignoring a flood control masterplan prepared during the Aquino administration, saying that no such plan was turned over to them by Duterte-era DPWH Secretary Mark Villar.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/6/congressmen-dizon-agree-funding-flood-control-projects-should-be-science-based-0006">READ: Congressmen, Dizon agree funding flood control projects should be &#x27;science-based&#x27;</a></div>

<p>Former DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson advised newly-installed Secretary Vince Dizon to continue looking into the flood control projects of the top 15 contractors earlier publicized by Malacañang.</p>

Former DPWH secretary Rogelio Singson advised newly-installed Secretary Vince Dizon to continue looking into the flood control projects of the top 15 contractors earlier publicized by Malacañang.

Dizon meets with former DPWH heads, told to focus on contractors, officials

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Dizon meets with former DPWH heads, told to focus on contractors, officials

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 07, 2025 10:58 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 07, 2025 11:28 PM PHT

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Department of Public Works and Highways

DPWH

Rogelio Singson

Vince Dizon

Ping De Jesus

flood control projects

corruption

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