Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has reconstituted the Department of Public Works and Highways Central Office Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board to clean up the graft-ridden agency. In an October 30 order, he appointed Undersecretary Ricardo Bernabe III as chair. The board aims to ensure judicious and objective selection of candidates for DPWH positions based on merit.
On October 30, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon issued an order reconstituting the Department of Public Works and Highways Central Office Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board (DPWH-COHRMPSB). This move is part of broader efforts to cleanse the agency of graft. Undersecretary Ricardo Bernabe III was appointed as chair.
The board is tasked with overseeing the judicious and objective selection of candidates for DPWH positions in line with the approved Merit Selection Plan, which includes systematic assessments of competence and qualifications. Dizon noted there are approximately 2,000 vacant plantilla positions nationwide that need filling, prioritizing hires from the DPWH's rank-and-file and job order (JO) employees.
“We must lift up the deserving, honest, hardworking people here in DPWH – including job-order employees,” Dizon said. He added, “Being a JO for a long time does not mean you have no right or opportunity to move up… You will be first in line for the roughly 2,000 vacancies all over the country.”
Additionally, Dizon announced the revival of the DPWH Cadet Engineering Program, originally launched in 2013 by former secretary Rogelio Singson. The program seeks to attract fresh talent to government engineering roles. “This is a big step to infuse fresh blood into DPWH – new engineers who’ve just passed the boards or are still starting their career as engineers to do it here in the department,” Dizon said. It will bolster project preparation, construction supervision, and maintenance across the agency's regional and district offices.
In the same order, Dizon directed the formation of a technical working group and secretariat from the Human Resource Management Division to support the streamlined hiring of qualified personnel. The chairmanship had been vacant following the acceptance of the courtesy resignation of former undersecretary Marichu Palafox, who led the unit during Manuel Bonoan's tenure.