11 officials axed as DPWH shake-up deepens

National

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DWPH) has relieved 11 regional and district executives as investigations into alleged large-scale irregularities in flood control projects intensified.

DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon said the removals, announced at a press briefing, mark the first wave of disciplinary action under an ongoing internal cleanup.

He described the officials as an “initial batch” dismissed for various reasons linked to active investigations that he declined to detail.

Among those relieved were four regional directors from Regions 1, 4-A, 5 and 7, along with assistant regional directors and district engineers assigned to key offices in Metro Manila and several provinces.

In a report by Philstar, Dizon said formal orders would be signed within days, clearing the way for a wider reshuffle inside the department.

Three district engineers were also ordered dismissed after being declared ineligible by the Civil Service Commission for failing to meet qualification standards.

Dizon said tougher merit-based requirements would soon be enforced for senior DPWH posts, including district and regional leadership positions.

With the removals, the DPWH is preparing for a broader reorganization as it seeks to restore credibility following revelations of “ghost” and substandard flood control projects that sparked public outrage last year.

Dizon warned more personnel actions could follow as reviews continue.

The secretary also sought to allay concerns over funding, saying the agency would rely on accumulated savings to support foreign-assisted infrastructure projects despite limited allocations in the 2026 budget. He attributed the savings to low disbursement rates in previous years and a procurement moratorium imposed at the height of the scandal.

Dizon assured international lenders, including the Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and Korea ExIm Bank, that ongoing projects would not be delayed.

The DPWH, which holds the second-largest allocation in the 2026 national budget at P530.9 billion, has nearly P16 billion earmarked for foreign-assisted flood control works.(Xienderlyn Trinidad, USJ-R Comm Intern)