ILOILO City – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Region 6 (Western Visayas) has fallen eerily silent following the surprise “clean sweep” order of newly installed Secretary Vince Dizon, who directed all regional directors and district engineers nationwide to file courtesy resignations as part of a crackdown on alleged flood control project irregularities.
But as of press time yesterday, Sept. 2, the DPWH Region 6 office has yet to confirm whether Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Joel Limpengco or any of the 11 district engineers in Western Visayas have complied.
The office has been conspicuously mum since Dizon’s announcement on Monday, Sept. 1, with no word on who has resigned or when the order will be carried out.
When contacted, the regional office declined interviews and issued only a brief reply: “As of now, we are not accommodating face-to-face interviews.”
According to the regional office secretary, “What we do instead is list down the questions from the media, have them verified and approved by the Regional Director, tapos send back thru email.”
It was unclear if Limpengco was at the regional office yesterday.
Dizon’s order affects the following DPWH Region 6 officials as listed in the department’s regional directory of District Engineering Offices (DEO) as of yesterday:
* Regional Director (OIC) – Joel F. Limpengco – Regional Office 6, Fort San Pedro, Iloilo City
* Aklan DEO (Kalibo, Aklan) – Levina C. Amar (OIC)
* Antique DEO (San Jose, Antique) – Bernadeth Betsy B. Uy (OIC)
* Capiz 1st DEO (Roxas City) – Cecil Lawrence M. Cruz
* Capiz 2nd DEO (Dumalag, Capiz) – Gerardo G. Parra, Jr.
* Guimaras DEO (Jordan, Guimaras) – Randolfo A. Melosantos
* Iloilo 1st DEO (Fort San Pedro, Iloilo City) – Ethel B. Morales (OIC)
* Iloilo 2nd DEO (Balabag, Dumangas) – Allan Rey R. Pajimna
* Iloilo 3rd DEO (Barotac Viejo, Iloilo) – Robert S. Palmera (OIC)
* Iloilo 4th DEO (Santa Barbara, Iloilo) – Mario G. Soriano
* Iloilo 6th DEO (Pototan, Iloilo) — Sherwin I. Galleros
* Iloilo City DEO (Jaro, Iloilo City) – Roy C. Pacanan (OIC)
Secretary Dizon earlier emphasized that the purge was meant to restore accountability, particularly after reports of “ghost projects” including a non-existent flood control project in Calumpit, Bulacan where contractors had already been paid.
For now, however, DPWH Western Visayas remains in limbo — silent, unresponsive, and waiting — as the deadline for courtesy resignations hangs over its top officials.
It is unclear if assistant regional directors are also covered by Dizon’r order.
The silence has only fueled public frustration in Iloilo and across the region. Nearly 300 flood control projects in Western Visayas are now under the microscope, as a coalition of local chief executives joined mounting calls for a full-scale investigation into the multimillion-peso infrastructure program flagged for possible irregularities.
Data from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Sumbong sa Pangulo” website, an online reporting portal, showed at least 280 flood control projects documented from 2022 to 2025 across the region, excluding Bacolod City and Negros Occidental which are now part of the Negros Island Region (NIR).
The province of Iloilo accounted for the bulk of flood control initiatives, with a little over 160 projects reported across both urban and rural areas.
Iloilo City has committed to support the probe, with Mayor Raisa Treñas stressing the importance of science-based assessments.
“If scientific studies demonstrate that the flood control projects in the city have exacerbated flooding, those projects should be appropriately dismantled,” Treñas said.
Aklan followed with 57 projects, including initiatives in the capital town of Kalibo, where Mayor Juris Sucro has committed to pushing for transparency and accountability in the rollout of public works.
The projects are in the towns of New Washington, Ibajay, Banga, Kalibo, Numancia, Malay, Balete, Malinao, Makato, Tangalan, Madalag, Libacao, Altavas, Buruanga, Batan, Nabas, and Lezo.
Antique logged 36 projects, spanning coastal and inland municipalities vulnerable to flashfloods and heavy rains.
The projects are in the towns of Sebaste, Bugasong, Sibalom, Barbaza, San Remigio, Patnongon, Hamtic, San Jose, Laua-an, Valderrama, Tibiao, and Culasi.
Capiz recorded 23 projects, with Roxas City’s Mayor Ronnie Dadivas joining the push for reforms.
“Our manifesto signing and support for reform does not only focus on the issue of flood control projects. This is for all issues that have a significant impact on the population,” Dadivas emphasized.
The projects are in Dao, Cuartero, Sigma, Panay, Dumalag, Mambusao, Jamindan, Pontevedra, Dumarao, Maayon, Panit-an, and Roxas City.
Guimaras posted the fewest at eight projects, but local leaders insisted that transparency should apply across the board, regardless of scale./PN