PUBLIC Works Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez on Tuesday vowed to solidify anti-corruption reforms and restore public trust in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), while Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon sought to prioritize improving commuter services and accelerating infrastructure projects.
At his first briefing since swapping Cabinet posts with Mr. Dizon, Mr. Lopez said his priority was to institutionalize reforms at the DPWH, ensuring that they would continue regardless of who leads the department or occupies Malacañang.
“What I realized is that it takes strong political will to implement reforms at the DPWH. These reforms were initiated by our President and carried forward by our former Secretary Vince Dizon,” he said.
He identified systems change and cultural change as the two components needed to make the reforms last. The first involves maintaining and institutionalizing the systems introduced under Mr. Dizon, while the second requires changes in how government officials approach their responsibilities.
Mr. Lopez said the department must continue reforms involving transparency, accountability and employee promotions, while encouraging officials and employees to follow proper procedures consistently.
Restoring public trust, he said, would require the participation of the entire government, not just individual citizens or officials.
Mr. Lopez said the reform effort must cover the entire project process, beginning with budget preparation and procurement and continuing through implementation.
“The reforms are already in place. What we need to do now is ensure that the right processes are followed every day,” he said, adding that he would need the cooperation of DPWH personnel to achieve this.
DIZON BACK AT DOTRMeanwhile, Mr. Dizon said President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. wanted him back to the Transportation department to “disrupt things” and make life easier for commuters.
Mr. Dizon cited funding constraints and implementation delays as persistent obstacles to major transport infrastructure projects, stressing that even well-managed projects could fall behind schedule if they lacked adequate financing.
“Regardless of how well we implement them, they will be delayed if funding is insufficient,” he said.
He also identified right-of-way acquisition as a longstanding challenge that the government had been working to address.
Mr. Dizon said the 2027 target for the partial operation of MRT-7 is among the projects he hoped would continue under the new leadership. The current timetable and specific project details require confirmation before publication.
The need to accelerate infrastructure delivery comes as Congress deliberates on the government’s proposed 2027 national budget, which includes a substantial increase in funding for transport infrastructure. The National Expenditure Program allocated P300.96 billion allocation for the Department of Transportation (DoTr), more than double its P137.85-billion budget under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Rail transport accounts for much of the proposed increase. The government is seeking P197.30 billion for the DoTr’s Rail Transport Program in 2027, up 256.54% from the P55.34-billion allocated under the 2026 GAA.
Mr. Lopez said the DoTr and DPWH would need to maintain close coordination because their responsibilities are interconnected, particularly in roads, bridges and public transportation. The two officials also said they expected limited personnel changes at their respective agencies to avoid disrupting ongoing projects. — Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba