DPWH Undersecretary resigns amid budget insertion allegations

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral has resigned amid allegations of initiating budget insertions in the proposed 2026 budget.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon accepted Cabral's courtesy resignation and has ordered a top-to-bottom purge of the agency.

More officials in DPWH Northern Mindanao have tendered courtesy resignations in response to anomalies surrounding the agency's flood control projects, which allegedly involve kickbacks and ghost projects.

Despite her resignation, the Senate blue ribbon panel has ordered the issuance of a subpoena for Cabral to attend future hearings, citing damning text messages from her.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III suggested abolishing DPWH district engineering offices and replacing them with larger regional units to curb political interference in infrastructure projects.

Sotto argued that regional offices would establish clearer lines of accountability to Malacañang and the DPWH secretary, making them harder for local officials or congressmen to control.

He noted that any restructuring of the agency must be carefully studied to determine if it requires legislation or can be implemented through an executive order.