Malacañang dropped a bombshell: Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan is out, effective September 1. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accepted his resignation, citing Bonoan’s supposed support for the administration’s battle cry of accountability, transparency, and reform. Stepping into the hot seat is Vince Dizon, the transportation secretary since February 2025, tasked with steering the DPWH out of its troubled waters. But let’s not mince words—Bonoan’s exit isn’t just a polite farewell. It’s a long-overdue reckoning for a department drowning in allegations of ghost projects, missing billions, and systemic corruption. The question now is: will justice follow, or is this just another shuffle in the deck of political theater?

The sentiment on the ground is raw and unforgiving: “He should’ve resigned sooner, but better late than never.” For too long, the DPWH has been a cesspool of mismanagement, with whispers of graft and corruption swirling around Bonoan and his circle of contractors. Billions of pesos earmarked for roads, bridges, and flood control systems have vanished into thin air, leaving behind half-finished projects, crumbling infrastructure, and communities stranded in the wreckage of broken promises. Ghost projects—those phantom initiatives that exist only on paper—have bled the nation dry, and Bonoan, as the DPWH’s head, must face the music. Resignation isn’t enough; he and his cronies should be charged with graft and corruption, held accountable for every peso siphoned from the public’s coffers.

The scale of the alleged plunder is staggering. Reports of billions funneled into nonexistent or substandard projects have fueled public outrage, with taxpayers demanding answers. Why did it take so long for Bonoan to step down? Was it the mounting pressure of exposés, the weight of public scrutiny, or a belated pang of conscience? Whatever the trigger, his exit opens a Pandora’s box of questions about the DPWH’s inner workings and the web of corrupt officials and contractors who’ve profited at the nation’s expense. It’s not just Bonoan—his resignation should be the first domino to fall, exposing a network of complicity that’s kept the DPWH’s corruption machine humming.

Enter Vince Dizon, who steps into a role that’s less a promotion and more a trial by fire. With his experience in transportation, Dizon knows the ins and outs of infrastructure projects, but this is no ordinary assignment. He’s inheriting a department riddled with rot, where every contract, every project, is suspect until proven otherwise. His mandate is clear: clean house, deliver results, and restore faith in a system that’s been fleeced for far too long. That means not just building roads and bridges that don’t collapse under scrutiny but also ensuring that every peso is accounted for, every contractor vetted, and every project built to last. The Filipino people deserve infrastructure they can trust—not monuments to greed.

This transition is a pivotal moment, but it’s only the beginning. Bonoan’s resignation shouldn’t be a quiet exit; it should spark a full-scale investigation into the DPWH’s dark corners. Prosecutors must dig deep, following the money trail to uncover who else profited from the ghost projects and shoddy deals. Other corrupt officials and contractors must face the same fate—charges, trials, and justice. The public’s patience has worn thin, and platitudes about reform won’t cut it anymore. Dizon’s success will be measured not just by ribbon-cutting ceremonies but by how ruthlessly he roots out corruption and delivers tangible progress.
The DPWH is at a crossroads. Bonoan’s departure is a chance to break free from a legacy of scandal and rebuild a department that serves the people, not the pockets of the powerful. But for that to happen, accountability must be more than a buzzword—it must be a battle cry. Charge Bonoan, chase down his accomplices, and let the hammer of justice fall. The Filipino people have waited long enough for a DPWH that builds bridges to progress, not to corruption. Let’s make this transition count.

(TAMBULI NG BAYAN-Ronnie Estrada) #BagongPilipinas #BongbongMarcos #DPWH #ManuelBonoan #VINCEDIZON #dpwhghostprojects #Bulacan #wawaobuilders
Photo: Bonoan out Dizon In.