No More Padrino: DPWH Secretary Dizon Says Promotions Will Now Be Based on Performance — Or You're Out
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon just dropped a department order that could shake the DPWH to its foundations — literally and figuratively. From now on, appointments and promotions in one of the country's biggest and most corruption-prone agencies will be based strictly on performance. No more political referrals. No more padrino system. Deliver or get demoted.
"No more political referrals. Proper and prompt maintenance of roads, bridges, completion of pending projects, and on-time completion of projects will be the basis for promotions and appointments," Dizon declared on Monday. The criteria are straightforward: finish projects on time and with quality, maintain roads and bridges properly, and respond quickly when typhoons or disasters damage infrastructure.
Dizon already walked the talk by announcing the first batch of performance-based promotions, including Arnold Ocampo as OIC regional director for Region 3, and district engineers in Sarangani, Romblon, Masbate, and Sorsogon. He also replaced officials in the Bulacan First District Engineering Office — the same district where ghost and anomalous flood control projects were exposed — dismissing district engineer Henry Alcantara and his assistant Brice Hernandez.
The shakeup goes deeper: Dizon signed 22 special orders appointing new regional directors in 12 of the DPWH's 17 regional offices, plus 10 new assistant regional directors. All are required to conduct inventories of pending documents, including monthly certificates of payment, statements of work accomplished, and as-built plans. Hindi na pwede ang sloppy paperwork.
Non-performing officials won't just get a stern talking-to — they face administrative sanctions or demotion. For a department that has long been synonymous with kickbacks, delayed projects, and ghost infrastructure, Dizon's performance-based overhaul is either the real deal or the most ambitious promise in DPWH history. The proof will be in the roads — pun intended.
Source: The Manila Times
