MANILA, Philippines—Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Giovanni Lopez has ordered regional and district engineering officials to continue delayed infrastructure projects, saying the agency will honor commitments under the previous leadership.
Lopez, who personally led the reopening of a road in Tuba, Benguet on Friday, said the administration would ensure the completion of projects previously committed to by his predecessor and now Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon, stressing that these were obligations to the public.
“If you recall, Secretary Vince Dizon visited this site in May 2026 and instructed the regional director and district engineering officials to address the problem here,” Lopez said.
The road had been operating one way since 2025, inconveniencing residents and motorists, he said.
Lopez said the concerned local DPWH officials were directed to resolve the problem, with regional and district engineering personnel committing to complete the necessary work within five months.
“We will hold them to their commitment,” Lopez said.
He added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered the reopening of the road, so motorists and residents could use it during the Undas holiday period.
The President had also directed the DPWH to complete urgent major road repairs by Oct. 30, 2026 to ease travel during the annual observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, Lopez said.
Despite changes in leadership at DPWH and DOTr, Lopez said the administration would continue projects initiated under Dizon.
“The President's instruction is that whatever commitments Secretary Vince made and whatever projects were delayed must be continued,” he said.
“That commitment is not just to the President or to Secretary Vince. Above all, it is a commitment to the Filipino people,” Lopez added.
He then instructed DPWH regional directors and district engineers to ensure that ongoing projects proceeded without further delays, saying there was no sufficient reason to allow the work to be held up any longer.
The top DPWH official said he would continue monitoring infrastructure projects to ensure that commitments made by the government were fulfilled.
