Transport steering team formed — Dizon

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has officially formed his team of transport leaders — each ready to navigate the road, air, and sea toward a more connected and efficient Philippines.

Presiding over the oath-taking ceremonies on Wednesday and Thursday, Dizon welcomed his key officials, who will be instrumental in shaping the country’s mobility landscape under his leadership.

Steering the administrative and financial helm is Atty. Giovanni Z. Lopez, undersecretary for Administration, Finance and Procurement, while Atty. Mark Steven C. Pastor takes charge of Road Transport and Infrastructure.

Jim C. Sydiongco assumes the role of undersecretary for Aviation and Airports, Ramon G. Reyes oversees Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure, and Dioscoro T. Reyes joins as assistant secretary for Road Transport and Non-Infrastructure.

Also joining the DoTr command are Teodorico Jose R. Delfin, undersecretary for Planning and Project Development; Raul L. Del Rosario, acting director general and acting member of the Board of Directors of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines; and Villamor Ventura S. Plan, assistant secretary for Maritime.

One of Dizon’s first agendas as the new transport chief was to request courtesy resignations from top officials, calling it a routine measure that gives new leadership the flexibility to build the best possible team.

Anti-backlog office

As the DoTr scrambles to catch up with backlogs and delays in major infrastructure, Dizon has established a Flagship Project Management Office to expedite big-ticket initiatives aimed at easing commuter woes.

The move follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for Dizon to accelerate the implementation of key transport infrastructure projects to enhance connectivity and reduce travel time.

Under Department Order 2025-002, the DoTr-FPMO will oversee policies and ensure that the department allocates maximum effort and resources toward priority infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs). The office will also monitor the progress of these projects.

Dizon himself will lead the supervision of major IFPs, including the Metro Manila Subway Project, North-South Commuter Railway Project, EDSA Busway Project, EDSA Greenways Project, Cebu Bus Rapid Transit, and the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project. He will also identify additional priority projects as needed.

“I will personally head this PMO so we can ensure that we follow very strict timelines. We will impose deadlines for all our projects,” Dizon explained.

‘We should give him the chance to study this, as he said, we need to perfect our expressway system. Once he has studied it, he can provide a report on the cashless expressway payment, and we will understand his point.’

The FPMO will coordinate with DoTr sectors, attached agencies, and partner institutions to streamline project monitoring, reporting, and evaluation. It will also consolidate and mobilize agency resources to ensure synchronized budgeting and implementation of priority IFPs.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro on Thursday expressed full support for Dizon in regards to the administration’s push to digitize 95 percent of government transactions.

According to Castro, it is important to give the newly-appointed secretary the opportunity to thoroughly study the challenges and opportunities in implementing these digital initiatives.

“We should give him the chance to study this, as he said, we need to perfect our expressway system. Once he has studied it, he can provide a report on the cashless expressway payment, and we will understand his point,” she said.