THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has launched a new round of accountability measures, and two officials from Central Visayas are part of it: Director Danilo Villa and Right-of-Way and Legal Division Chief Brando Raya.
Villa and Raya are among 10 officials nationwide who were issued show cause orders on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, over allegations of living beyond their means or involvement in substandard infrastructure projects. They have five days to respond.
In Cebu, reporters who visited the DPWH 7 office to get a comment from the two officials were unable to speak with them. An information officer said that a new protocol from the DPWH Central Office requires all officials to get clearance before granting interviews. Both Villa and Raya were not in their offices at the time.
The big question
Why are DPWH officials, including two from Central Visayas, being asked to explain their conduct — and what does this reveal about the state of the agency?
A “top-to-bottom” cleansing
This move is the first major public action in what Secretary Vince Dizon has framed as a necessary “top-to-bottom” cleansing of the agency. Dizon has been vocal about the scale of the challenge, suggesting the corruption is deeply embedded within the department’s structure.
“The longer I stay here at the DPWH, the more we discover new issues every day, and our problems keep getting bigger,” Dizon said in Tagalog at a press conference on Wednesday. He described the situation as overwhelming, adding, “We really need to make our approach systematic because for me, the problems facing this department are staggering.”
Silence
The situation presents two starkly different responses. From the national office in Manila, Dizon is projecting a message of unwavering resolve and transparency. He issued a direct and forceful warning to the officials under investigation and to anyone else involved in anomalies.
“If these officials thought I would not take what I said from the beginning seriously, I hope this proves we are serious, that the President is serious about this, and we will spare nobody,” Dizon declared.
He further warned that the consequences could extend beyond administrative sanctions: “This will not stop at administrative charges. If there is evidence that they conspired in anomalous projects, all of them will be held accountable, and we will submit this to the ICI.”
In contrast, the response from the regional office in Cebu has been complete silence. The inability of the local press to access Villa and Raya, combined with the reported gag order, creates an information vacuum at the local level, leaving the public with only the national leadership’s narrative.
Ordered to explain
Aside from Villa and Raya, Gerard Opulencia, director of DPWH in NCR, was also ordered to explain his lifestyle.
These officials were asked to explain their alleged involvement in substandard projects: Gerald Pacanan (former Mimaropa director), Isabelo Baleros (former Las Piñas-Muntinlupa engineer), Almer Miranda (Pampanga 1st District engineer), Gil Lorenzo (La Union engineer), Arturo Gonzales (Quezon City 1st District engineer) and Johnny Protesta Jr. (Quezon City 2nd engineer).
Khaddafy Tanggol, DPWH Cordillera director, was instructed to defend his non-cooperation with investigators.
Why is this happening
Dizon said the DPWH’s problems are both systemic and individual. Corruption and inefficiency have been entrenched for decades. His priorities are:
Accountability: Punishing officials involved in wrongdoing.
Systemic reform: Fixing flawed processes that enable corruption.
What’s at stake for the public
The allegations carry significant weight for the public. The investigation into “substandard” projects directly questions the quality and safety of the country’s infrastructure. If true, it means that taxpayer money was spent on roads, bridges and flood control systems that may fail prematurely, posing a risk to public safety and requiring costly repairs.
The accusations of officials “living above their means” suggest that public funds intended for vital infrastructure may have been diverted for personal enrichment, eroding public trust and hindering national development.
What’s next
The immediate focus is on the five-day deadline for the 10 officials to submit their written responses to the show cause orders. After that, the DPWH will review their explanations and determine if there is sufficient ground to file formal administrative charges.
However, Dizon has made it clear that this is only the beginning of a sustained effort. He ended his press conference with a promise of more actions to come, signaling a long-term campaign.
“I would not be surprised if we see this happening every week,” he said. / TPM, CDF