Marcos Swaps His Public Works and Transport Chiefs as the Flood-Control Cases Reach Court

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reassigned his two infrastructure secretaries on Monday, 26 October 2026, sending Vince Dizon back to the Department of Transportation and moving Giovanni "Banoy" Lopez to the Department of Public Works and Highways. The swap lands as 39 flood-control cases sit in court and neither man has been confirmed by the Commission on Appointments. It matters because the DPWH is the agency at the center of the flood-control scandal.

Marcos Swaps His Public Works and Transport Chiefs as the Flood-Control Cases Reach Court

Manila, Philippines — Presidential Communications Office secretary Lino Cayetano announced the reassignment at a Palace press briefing in Malacañang on Monday, 26 October 2026, according to ABS-CBN News. Dizon moves from the DPWH back to the DOTr, and Lopez takes over the DPWH. Marcos's order was read by Cayetano: "We are shifting gears to accelerate reform. Secretary Dizon goes to DOTr to fix the daily commute. Secretary Lopez goes to DPWH to make sure the reforms there last." The two men will hold a press conference on 27 October, PortCalls Asia reported.

The Announcement in Malacañang

Cayetano relayed the President's message in Filipino: "Lahat ng ito, para bumilis at gumaan ang serbisyo ng gobyerno para sa ating mga kababayan." (All of this, so that government service becomes faster and lighter for our countrymen.) He said Dizon "disrupted a system that had protected waste and corruption for years." Cayetano added: "Thousands of projects are now open to the public, long-unfinished projects are being completed, and a new culture of transparency and accountability has begun to take root." On Lopez, he said: "Secretary Giovanni Lopez will secure these gains with a system built to last." Cayetano described Lopez as a lawyer and certified public accountant, tasked to "strengthen safeguards and institutionalize the reforms" so they outlast the administration. He said Dizon returns to the DOTr "with the President's full confidence" and a simple order — make the daily commute easier, shorten the lines at the Land Transportation Office, "get rid of the fixers," and push completion of critical mass transport projects "so workers and students can spend less time on the road and more time with their families."

A Swap Both Men Had Already Denied

On 7 October 2026, Politiko reported, citing unnamed sources, that Dizon could return to the DOTr and Lopez would take over the DPWH. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that day: "Walang ganoong impormasyon. Wala." (There is no such information. None.) On 8 October 2026, Dizon, at an inspection of road rehabilitation works in Valenzuela City, told reporters: "Hindi totoo 'yan." ("That is not true.") He added: "Basta tayo, trabaho lang tayo." Marcos himself, speaking to reporters during his Singapore visit, ruled out Dizon's return to the DOTr, according to Bilyonaryo. BusinessWorld reported on 26 October 2026: "The changes follow earlier reports of a possible Cabinet reshuffle that were denied by Mr. Dizon and Malacañang in early October." Dizon had said at a Senate hearing in September 2026 that leaving the DPWH would be "music to my ears."

Why the Public Works Job Was Never Ordinary

Dizon was named to lead the DPWH after then-secretary Manuel Bonoan resigned amid controversy over alleged anomalous flood control projects. Philstar.com says Marcos appointed Dizon to lead the DPWH on 31 August 2025; PortCalls Asia and Rappler date his taking the helm to 1 September 2025. Lopez, then a DOTr undersecretary, was appointed acting transportation secretary, with PortCalls dating that appointment to 3 September 2025. Marcos issued Executive Order 94 in September 2025, creating the Independent Commission for Infrastructure to investigate the questionable flood control projects; the ICI is now defunct, the Philippine News Agency reported. In its accomplishment report covering 15 September 2025 to 18 January 2026, the ICI filed nine referrals to the Office of the Ombudsman, coordinated the referral of 66 individuals to the Department of Justice, and contributed to the freezing of 6,692 bank accounts estimated at PHP24.7 billion. The DPWH's 2026 budget excluded funding for new flood control projects while the investigation continues, though it retained maintenance funding for existing systems, GMA News reported via Stormwater Solutions.

The Numbers Waiting for the New Secretary

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla, in his first-year report delivered 12 October 2026, said 39 flood control cases are now pending in courts — 35 before the Sandiganbayan and four before various regional trial courts. The 39 cases are against 52 individuals, including former DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan and 33 DPWH officials, Rappler reported. Remulla said: "Let us not forget the size and magnitude of this scandal. Over P100 billion was paid for flood control projects that were never built." He added: "Hindi substandard. Hindi kulang. Wala talaga." (Not substandard. Not inadequate. None whatsoever.) The Ombudsman's office is conducting preliminary investigations into more than 160 flood control-related complaints and has granted more than 1,700 requests for public officials' Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. On 7 September 2026, prosecutors filed a plunder charge against Martin Romualdez, the President's congressman cousin and former House speaker; Remulla said the case involves a total of 7.4 billion pesos in alleged bribes, anomalous budget insertions and project allocations, AFP reported via the South China Morning Post. Romualdez has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

What Dizon Did at Public Works

The DPWH's transparency portal is an online tracking database of more than 250,000 infrastructure projects nationwide since 2016, PortCalls Asia reported. At a Senate budget hearing on 25 September 2026, asked by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano how many "conclusive" ghost projects had been identified nationwide, Dizon said 10 are confirmed so far. Asked whether any are in Taguig, Dizon replied: "Wala po. Sa aming imbestigasyon, wala po." (None. In our investigation, none.) Dizon clarified on Monday 28 September 2026 that there are 10 confirmed ghost flood control projects in the country so far but none located in Taguig City, Rappler reported. In August 2026, Dizon said the review of thousands of flood-control projects was still running with law enforcement agencies, and that projects found to have irregularities could be referred for fact-finding and possible cases before the Office of the Ombudsman. Global1.news reported in September that the DPWH had blacklisted two more Discaya-linked firms.

The Taguig Dispute That Followed Him Out

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson says his team identified at least 32 allegedly anomalous flood control projects in Taguig City; at least two, he says, are ghost projects, Rappler reported. Lacson disputed Dizon's blanket denial, saying it contradicted site inspection reports prepared by DPWH personnel: "Poor DPWH Site Inspection Engineers. Their boss, Sec. Vince Dizon directly contradicted their own site inspection reports in Taguig, specifically submitted by personnel from the department's Bureau of Quality and Safety and Bureau of Maintenance." Lacson cited DPWH records involving a project supposedly located in Taguig whose geotagged site photos reportedly showed coordinates in Leyte, around 600 kilometers away. Lacson said Dizon called him after the Senate hearing and was "apologetic," telling him it appeared he had been "set up." On 26 October 2026, Lacson told Senate reporters the reassignment would not affect the Ombudsman's probe: "Nasa Ombudsman na 'yon eh. Nag-backtrack, fact-finding na sila sa Ombudsman. So papunta na sa preliminary investigation. Halos kumpleto na 'yung ebidensya." (That is already with the Ombudsman... They are heading into preliminary investigation. The evidence is nearly complete.)

Neither Man Has Been Confirmed

At the 25 September 2026 Senate budget hearing on the DPWH, Senator Imee Marcos, citing the Administrative Code of 1987, said a temporary designation in an acting capacity should not exceed one year — a safeguard against using acting appointments to circumvent the Commission on Appointments. Dizon was appointed acting DPWH secretary on 1 September 2025. Imee Marcos said: "Overdue na po kayo ng ilang araw." (You are already overdue for a few days.) "What's the present status of your appointment?" She said the information they had received indicated Dizon had been "appointed or reappointed"; Dizon said he was not aware of any reappointment. Dizon said: "Ma'am, this is music to my ears kasi medyo ayoko na rin pong nandito ako. Gusto ko pong wala na ako dito. Okay na po ito. Masaya pa po ako." He also said: "I'm here because I guess I'm not yet fired." On 30 September 2026, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the President had extended the interim appointments of Dizon and Lopez, and that the administration still intends to formally submit their nominations to the CA: "We've extended the appointments of Secretary Dizon and Secretary Banoy. At the appropriate time, the President will submit for confirmation." Neither Dizon nor Lopez has been confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.

Who Is Banoy Lopez

Giovanni "Banoy" Lopez is a lawyer and certified public accountant, the Palace said. He earned his accountancy degree cum laude at St. Paul University Philippines and studied law at San Beda University, Rappler reported. He was appointed DOTr undersecretary for finance and chief of staff in 2021; in the same year he became executive director, officer-in-charge, of the Toll Regulatory Board. In 2022 he became executive director of the Land Transportation Office. From February to August 2025 he was senior undersecretary for administration, finance and procurement of the DOTr. Marcos appointed him DOTr secretary in September 2025 after the post was vacated by Dizon. On 23 September 2026, Marcos and Lopez inspected the Metro Manila Subway Project's tunnel boring machine breakthrough, connecting the southbound tunnel between the North Avenue and Quezon Avenue stations.

What the Senate Says Today

Senator JV Ejercito, who chairs the Senate committee on finance, said on 26 October 2026 that the swap will not affect the 2027 budgets of the two agencies. "Normally, talagang problema 'yan kasi middle of budget season na, but having worked with both Sec. Vince Dizon and Sec. Banoy Lopez, I'm quite familiar with both of them." He added: "I don't think it will be a difficult transition... I'm hoping that he will continue the reforms that we started after the flood control issue." Ejercito said the two-week plenary deliberations on the 2027 budget will begin on 23 November 2026 and continue through the first week of December. Senator Panfilo Lacson said of the swap: "Prerogative ng Presidente 'yun eh, bakit natin pinapakialaman?" (That is the President's prerogative, so why would we interfere?) He added: "Pamilyar naman si Sec. Vince sa DOTr, kasi galing sya 'don, di'ba? Si Sec. Banoy, I think he is capable of handling DPWH."

What to Watch on Tuesday

Dizon and Lopez hold a press conference on 27 October, PortCalls Asia reported. The Senate's two-week plenary deliberations on the 2027 budget begin on 23 November 2026. The Taguig dispute between Lacson and Dizon remains unresolved. The Commission on Appointments has not confirmed either man, and the Palace has said it intends to submit both names at the appropriate time. Folks, watch whether the new DPWH chief addresses the Taguig findings directly, and whether the reform language from Malacañang translates into rules the next administration can inherit.

By Jessica Ali, Staff Writer

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Sources: Rappler, Philstar.com, ABS-CBN News, BusinessWorld, PortCalls Asia, Philippine News Agency, Inquirer.net, South China Morning Post (AFP), Daily Tribune, Screencap, Bilyonaryo and GMA News via Stormwater Solutions. Photographs: ABS-CBN News (Vince Dizon and Giovanni Lopez); Rappler (Taft Avenue flooding in Manila, 10 August 2026; the Office of the Ombudsman).