Invincible Vince

Differences vanish when common aspirations, goals, trust, and confidence are shared regardless of political color and ideologies.

This is exemplified by the appointment of Vince Dizon first as Department of Transportation (DoTr) secretary and now as head of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

His untainted service in various positions in government is a testament to his integrity and efficiency.

In the current time, when the entire government bureaucracy is perceived to be on the edge due to unprecedented corruption, his assumption as head of DPWH is like a panacea to the waning confidence that this administration will be able to overcome the magnitude of corruption that besets it.

From 2022 to 2025, under the watch of then DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, favored government contractors had rapaciously appropriated among themselves, along with DPWH Regional District Engineers and their political patrons, billions of pesos in taxpayer money.

The most scandalous of this was the bidding for multibillion-peso flood control projects participated in by nine construction firms, all owned by the Discaya family.

It is disconcerting and disheartening to learn how the Discaya couple could easily secure numerous projects, courtesy of DPWH district engineers, within the same timeframe, and how easily they were paid.

It is unclear whether these projects were genuine or of substandard quality. Sara Discaya, without batting an eye, admitted that she acquired 28 luxury car brands, some, she boasted, she bought because she liked the umbrella and the wine glasses that came with them.

Discaya is just one among the vultures that devoured the virtual carcass of the DPWH.

Some of the contractors faced the Blue Ribbon Committee. Like Sara Discaya, they displayed no remorse and one of them, Wawao Builders owner Mark Arevalo, had the temerity to refuse to answer questions from Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, claiming they might incriminate him.

Arevalo, who ranked 12th among the top 15 flood control contractors with government projects, acted like a simpleton, his head bowed all the time as if reading instructions from his cellphone.

Arevalo started his business in 2019 with small projects like the repair of creek embankments in Quezon City.

On record, he started amassing contracts and enormous wealth in 2022 and 2025 with big-ticket flood control projects in Bulacan, where President Marcos “saw” the ghost versions.

Some smarting lawmakers in the House of Romualdez attempted to put the blame on the administration of immediate past president Rodrigo Duterte.

Someone who looked like Joel Chua wanted to make it appear that the malfeasance started during the time of Duterte.

Records showed, however, that the scandalous awards and anomalous constructions started in 2022. Even the models of Discaya’s fleet of luxury vehicles showed when she amassed her wealth.

Another congressman, Benny Abante, proposed to have the probe on ghost and substandard flood control projects conducted in Davao City. His crazy idea did not sit well with his colleagues.

The days of smart alecks in the DPWH, contractors and congressmen have come to a head.

With Dizon at the helm of the agency, heads are expected to roll, billionaires placed in jail, and massive reforms not only at DPWH but in the entire government bureaucracy initiated.

Everybody who is somebody in the DPWH has been told to submit their resignations. He ordered the DPWH in-house investigation body disbanded.

Dizon is out to quell the social conflagration and has the public support to radically cleanse the Department of Mafiosos that bled the treasury dry.

For us Davaowenyos, we express relief that finally the short Maa-Magtuod flyover, which had been under construction for four years, will finally be completed under the new DPWH watch and a change of contractor.