DPWH Secretary resigns, DOTr's Dizon to replace Bonoan

There’s a shake-up in the cabinet. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., has accepted the resignation of Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, with his last day in office being September 1, 2025. Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon was quickly appointed to take his place as the new DPWH secretary.

DOTr Undersecretary Giovanni Lopez will take the spot as the agency’s Acting Secretary.

As the new DPWH Secretary, Dizon has been tasked with cleaning up the agency, which has been plagued by allegations of massive corruption. Funds intended for infrastructure projects have reportedly been diverted into the pockets of many government officials and their contractor cohorts.

“Secretary Dizon has been tasked to conduct a full organizational sweep of the [DPWH] and ensure that public funds are used solely for infrastructure that truly protects and benefits the Filipino people,” said the Palace.

Secretary Dizon is no stranger to major infrastructure projects. Before his current role, he led the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) until 2021. During his tenure as BCDA president, he oversaw several flagship projects under the Build, Build, Build! program, including the development of New Clark City in Tarlac.

Under his leadership at the DOTr, Dizon has made road safety a top priority. In May, he directed the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to implement an automatic 90-day license suspension for drivers caught on video or photo blatantly disregarding traffic laws, without due process.

“Walang imbe-imbestigasyon, walang hearing-hearing, ‘pag may nakita kami na may video, na may pruweba na uma-abuso kayo sa kalye, suspendido kayo,” said Dizon.

(No investigation, no hearings, if we see a video, if there’s proof that you are being reckless on the road, you are suspended.)

To date, the DOTr and the LTO have suspended 2,008 erring drivers and revoked the driving privileges of 420 individuals deemed as “improper person(s) to operate a motor vehicle.” Also during his stint as head of DOTr, the 11-year license plate backlog has been resolved.