Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon assured lawmakers that lifestyle checks within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will persist as part of the agency’s anti-corruption measures.
Dizon made the commitment during the department’s 2027 budget hearing before the House Committee on Appropriations following inquiries from Akbayan Party-list Representative Chel Diokno regarding accountability efforts.
Dizon stated that the department maintains a “one-strike policy” and actively collaborates with the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct ongoing reviews, which can lead to show-cause orders, suspensions, or dismissals.
“Tuluy-tuloy po ang…aming lifestyle checks. In fact, we are working very very closely with the Office of the Ombudsman on this,” Dizon said.
“In some cases, we have even terminated people just based on reports on social media that have been properly verified and validated. So, tuluy-tuloy po tayo diyan,” he added.
To further tighten integrity measures, Dizon shared that the DPWH is drafting stricter disclosure policies beyond standard Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) submissions, while partnering with the Securities and Exchange Commission to enforce tighter transparency on private contractors.
During the same hearing, Diokno pressed the agency to establish a national flood control and drainage master plan after Dizon mentioned a shift toward major river basin interventions.
Diokno stressed that a unified plan is critical to prevent piecemeal solutions.
“Kung wala tayong national plan at hindi nakasaad doon kung ano ‘yung mga general principles that should apply anywhere in the country…para rin tayo…by analogy, wala tayong national land use plan,” Diokno noted.
“How can we expect to develop rationally in the coming five, 10 or 15 years without this kind of comprehensive approach?” he asked.
Citing a recent visit to flood-prone areas in Pampanga, Diokno underscored how chronic flooding disrupts local economies and daily life for residents, students, and workers.
“Just the other day nakapunta po ako ng ilang bahagi ng Pampanga, where flooding has not just been a recurring, but appears to be a perennial problem…Everything comes to a standstill when an area is flooded and the water doesn’t go down,” Diokno shared.
“Iyong estudyante natin, hindi nakakapasok sa eskuwelahan, ‘yung mga manggagawa natin, hindi rin nakakapasok sa kanilang mga opisina. Mismo ‘yung buong ekonomiya ay wala nang gagalaw. And in the areas that I visited, they were telling me that this has been happening to them not just for weeks and for months, but halos taon-taon, umaabot na daw sa dekada na ganito nga,” he said.