President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Vivencio “Vince” Bringas Dizon as the new Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), following the resignation of Manuel Bonoan on September 1, 2025.
Dizon, 51, is an economist and career technocrat who has held key roles in government over the past two decades. He is best known for his leadership as president and chief executive officer of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), where he oversaw the development of New Clark City and other major infrastructure projects.
He also served as presidential adviser on flagship programs under the Duterte administration and was appointed as the government’s COVID-19 testing and response chief during the pandemic. Earlier this year, he briefly headed the Department of Transportation before moving to DPWH.
Upon assuming his new post, Dizon immediately announced reforms aimed at restoring integrity in the department. He ordered courtesy resignations from all DPWH officials, dissolved the internal anti-graft body, and referred corruption probes to an independent commission. He also suspended bidding for locally funded projects pending a review of procurement systems, while allowing foreign-assisted projects to continue.
In addition, Dizon directed the Department of Justice to issue look-out bulletins against contractors and officials linked to questionable flood-control projects and vowed a lifetime ban on contractors involved in anomalous or substandard work.
The DPWH is one of the largest agencies in government and has long been under public scrutiny over allegations of graft. Dizon’s appointment is seen as a move to restore confidence and strengthen transparency in the implementation of infrastructure projects.
Known for his results-oriented style, Dizon said he is committed to ensuring that public works projects deliver both value and accountability. “We must build not only roads and bridges, but also trust in our institutions,” he said during his first week in office.
