(UPDATE) PUBLIC Works Secretary Vince Dizon has replaced 12 of 17 regional directors at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in a shakeup as part of reforms to curb rampant corruption in the agency.
Dizon also designated 10 new assistant regional directors.
New regional directors were named in the Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, MImaropa Region, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, Caraga, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Negros Island Region (NIR).
New assistant regional directors were appointed in CAR, Central Luzon, Mimaropa Region, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and Caraga.
Dizon said the regional offices play a vital role in ensuring that the implementation of flood control projects and other infrastructure are in accordance with the procurement process, correct specifications and approved structural plan.
“The initiative reflects our shared beliefs that transparency should not only govern the implementation of public infrastructure projects, but also guide the selection and evaluation of the men and women entrusted to lead them,” he said.
Designated to lead the DPWH regional offices are Engr. Editha Babaran, officer in charge (OIC), office of regional director, CAR; vice engineer Khadaffy Tanggol; Engr. Richard Ragas, OIC, DPWH Region 1 (Ilocos); vice engineer Ronnel Tan; Engr. Arnold Ocampo, OIC, Region 3 (Central Luzon); Assistant Secretary Rommel Tello, whose concurrent designation was lifted; Engr. Carolina Pastrana, OIC, Region 4A (Calabarzon); vice engineer Jovel Mendoza; Engr. Oscar de la Cruz, OIC, Region 4B (Mimaropa); vice engineer Editha Babaran; Engr. Khadaffy Tanggol, regional director, Region 5 (Bicol Region); vice engineer Virgilio Eduarte; Engr. Jose Al Fruto, OIC, NIR; vice engineer Denise Maria Ayag; Engr. Denise Maria Ayag, regional director, Region 6 (Western Visayas); Engr. Simon Arias, OIC, Region 7 (Zamboanga Peninsula); vice engineer Danilo Villa Jr.; Engr. Basir Ibrahim, regional director, Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula); vice engineer Cayamombao Dia; Engr. Sabeniano Caliao Jr., OIC, Region 13 (Caraga); and vice engineer Alex Ramos.
Appointed for assistant regional positions are engineer Josefino Melgar Jr., assistant regional director, CAR; vice engineer Emmanuel Diaz; Engr. Ruby Canlas, OIC assistant director, Region 3; vice engineer Melquiadez Sto. Domingo; engineer Rosita Tinawin, OIC, assistant director, Region 4B; vice engineer Neil Farala; Engr. Ferdinand Dallo, OIC, assistant director, Region 5; vice engineer Annie de la Vega; Engr. Nonato Paylado, OIC, assistant director, Region 7; vice engineer Isidro Encarnacion; Engr. Najib Dilangalen, OIC, assistant director, Region 9; vice engineer Soray’yah Ibrahim; Engr. Virgie Nayve, OIC, assistant director, Region 10 (Northern Mindanao); Assistant Regional Director Sabeniano Daliao Jr.; Engr. Joweto Tulaylay, OIC assistant director, Region 11 (Davao Region), vice engineer Cirilo Lasaca; Engr. Sorayya Ibrahim, assistant regional director, Region 12 (Soccsksargen); vice engineer Najib Dilangalen; and Egnr. Vincent Roderick Acebes, OIC assistant director, Region 13.
Early this month, Dizon announced the relief of four regional directors, two assistant regional directors, and two district engineers.
They were identified as Directors Ronnel Tan (Region 1), Jovel Mendoza (Region 4A), Virgilio Eduarte (Region 5), and Danilo Villa (Region 7); Assistant Directors Neil Farala (Region 4B) and Annie de la Vega (Region 5); and District Engineers Ruel Umali of the Metro Manila Third District Engineering Office and Manny Bulusan of the South Manila District Engineering Office.
Also relieved for lack of Civil Service eligibility were OIC District Engineers Sherylann Gonzalez (La Union), Roy Pacanan (Iloilo City) and Peter Scheller Soco (Leyte).
In December last year, Dizon designated engineers Kenneth Edward Fernando and Paul Genar S.J. Lumabas, as officers in charge, Office of the District Engineer and Assistant District Engineer, respectively, of the Bulacan First District Engineering Office, the most notorious in terms of ghost and anomalous projects.
Fernando and Lumabas replaced dismissed district engineer and assistant district engineer Henry Alcantara and Brice Hernandez, who were both linked to anomalous and ghost flood control projects in Bulacan.
The DPWH has one senior undersecretary, six regular undersecretaries, five assistant secretaries, 15 bureau directors, 17 regional directors, more than 200 district engineers, and more than 400 assistant district engineers.
Dizon also opened up 2,000 vacancies in the department’s district and regional offices.
“Our priority in filling up the different vacant positions are DPWH insiders. I want to promote first those who are deserving, honest and hardworking people who are already in the DPWH, including job order employees,” he said.
Dizon also encouraged the youth, particularly fresh graduates, who already passed the engineering licensure examinations, to apply in the DPWH.
