MANILA, Philippines – Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan has resigned from his post amid a spiraling controversy involving widespread allegations of ghost projects, bid-rigging, and corruption within the country's multi-billion peso flood control program. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has appointed Vince Dizon, the current transportation secretary, to helm the embattled Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Bonoan's resignation marks a critical turning point in a scandal that has drawn sharp criticism from the public and top government officials, including the president himself. The controversy centers on accusations that billions in state funds were funneled into non-existent or substandard flood mitigation projects, even as the nation continues to suffer from severe, perennial flooding.
In his State of the Nation Address, President Marcos vowed to expose and prosecute those involved in the anomalies, criticizing how lucrative flood control contracts were allegedly concentrated among a few select firms. Following his address, the administration launched the "Sumbong sa Pangulo" (Complain to the President) website, a platform designed to increase transparency by allowing the public to access project details and report irregularities.
The scale of the alleged corruption is staggering. The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has initiated an investigation into the issue, focusing on claims of a contractor monopoly over contracts worth approximately ₱100 billion. Specific allegations include a scheme involving Wawao Builders, which reportedly secured ₱9 billion in contracts for "ghost" projects in the province of Bulacan. This has led to the suspension of implicated DPWH district offices.
Further fueling the scandal, a whistleblower, represented by a lawyer, has approached the Department of Justice (DOJ) with information detailing how officials allegedly accessed funds for bogus projects amounting to at least ₱5 billion. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has stated that while the DOJ is not currently conducting its own probe, it stands ready to assist the Office of the Ombudsman in any formal investigation. In the meantime, DPWH validation teams are physically inspecting thousands of projects to verify their existence and completion status.
In response to the fiscal mismanagement, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has proposed a significant ₱71.7 billion reduction in the 2026 budget for flood control projects. This comes as senators decried the ineffectiveness of past spending, noting that roughly ₱1.90 trillion was allocated to the DPWH for flood control between 2011 and 2025 with little discernible impact.
The controversy has also sparked action at the local level. In the capital, Manila's Mayor Isko Moreno has initiated a local investigation following reports that over 200 projects were being executed without the necessary permits.
As the new acting secretary, Vince Dizon faces the immense challenge of restoring public trust in the DPWH and implementing systemic reforms to ensure that funds intended to protect communities from disaster are used effectively and transparently. The push for accountability continues, with calls for economic sabotage cases to be filed against the masterminds of the alleged schemes.