OUTGOING Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon urged incoming chief Giovanni Lopez to continue weeding out “rotten apples” in the agency.
During the turnover ceremony Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Dizon handed over to Lopez files on Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel linked to corruption.
Upon the orders of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Dizon and Lopez switched posts in the latest Cabinet shake-up.
“Imbes na flag, ito ang ipapasa ko sa kanya. Ikaw na bahala sa mga yan, tanggalin mo na yan in the next few weeks. Reviewhin mo na lang. Yan po yung mga susunod. Sorry, gano’n talaga; we have to get rid of the rotten apples and protect the good ones,” said Dizon.
(Instead of a flag, this is what I will hand over to him. You take care of those people; remove them in the next few weeks. Just review the files. Those are the next ones. Sorry, that’s how it is; we have to get rid of the rotten apples and protect the good ones.)
Since taking the helm of the DPWH in September 2025, Dizon said 80 employees had been removed for wrongdoing amid investigations into irregularities involving flood control projects.
Lopez vowed to continue the reforms implemented by Dizon, assuring the public that he would not be lenient on erring DPWH personnel.
“My task is how to make these reforms work consistently in the DPWH and how to make it last, how to make it permanent regardless who sits in Malacañang, regardless who sits as Secretary po of DPWH,” Lopez said.
“At kasama na rin po 'yan na ipagpapatuloy natin lahat ng mga nasimulan ni Secretary Vince dito sa DPWH—'yong mga reforma pagdating sa transparency, sa accountability, sa pagpo-promote po ng mga empleyado po ng DPWH,” he added.
(And that also includes continuing everything Secretary Vince started here at the DPWH, including reforms in transparency, accountability, and the promotion of DPWH employees.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)