DPWH chief orders dismissal of Bulacan engineers amid ‘ghost’ flood control projects

By Brian Campued

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Vince Dizon on Thursday ordered the summary dismissal from service of former Bulacan 1st District Engineer Henry Alcantara amid the investigation into anomalous flood control projects.

Dizon made the announcement following an inspection of a “ghost” flood control project in Barangay Sipat in Plaridel, Bulacan and in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to clean the ranks of DPWH.

“Henry Alcantara, effective today, is dismissed… Next week, I will ask the DPWH Legal to recommend filing appropriate charges against Henry Alcantara. Obviously, criminal ito—pagnanakaw ito eh,” Dizon told reporters.

He added that Assistant District Engineer Brice Ericson Hernandez and Engr. Jaypee Mendoza, who was former chief of the Construction Section of DPWH Bulacan 1st District Engineering Office (DEO), will be suspended, and appropriate charges will be recommended for filing at the Office of the Ombudsman.

The DPWH chief also declared that they will perpetually blacklist Wawao Builders and SYMS Construction Trading, the contractors of several flood control projects in Bulacan.

During the inspection in Barangay Sipat, Dizon disclosed that the P96.50-million flood control project along Angat River was already marked as complete by the DPWH Bulacan 1st DEO in June 2025—but remained unfinished just after three weeks of construction.

Last month, Marcos visited Barangay Piel in Baliwag, where a P55-million worth of reinforced concrete riverwall was supposedly constructed by the SYMS Construction Trading, but no trace of structure was found.

“Nakakarindi itong ganito. I can just imagine how angry the President is. Hindi tao ang gumawa nito, hayop. Mga hayop ang gumawa nito, hindi sila tao, para gawin nila ito sa mga kababayan natin. And believe me, itong mga hayop na ito makukulong,” Dizon said.

“The President has repeatedly said, and this was his clear marching orders to me, that we must not allow this to happen anymore and to hold people who have done this to account,” he added.

In a Malacañang press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the DPWH’s move is in line with Marcos’ call for accountability in the implementation of questionable flood control projects.

“Ang gusto ng Pangulo, mabilis na aksiyon,” Castro said.

“Ang hakbang na ito ng ahensiya ay alinsunod sa panawagan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. nang mabilisang pag-aksiyon, pagsasampa ng kaso at pagpapanagot sa mga nasa likod ng mga maanomalyang proyekto,” she added. (With report from Bernard Ferrer / PTV News)

-jpv