VINCE Dizon’s five-month tenure at the Department of Transportation (DOTr) ended in late August 2025, but the short stint proved consequential for an agency managing some of the country’s largest and most complex infrastructure programs. Before his reassignment to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Dizon introduced a series of policy recalibrations and internal management changes that reshaped priorities at the DOTr and were now being carried forward by acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez. Dizon assumed office in February 2025 following the departure of Jaime Bautista, stepping into a department facing mounting pressure over rail delays, road safety concerns, and mounting public resistance to key transport reforms. Within weeks, he ordered the suspension of the full implementation of mandatory cashless toll collection on expressways, citing unresolved technical glitches, commuter complaints, and the absence of adequate safeguards against system failures. The decision slowed what had been an aggressive push toward universal RFID use and prompted a technical and policy review aimed at preventing disruptions similar to those seen in previous rollouts. In March, Dizon turned his attention to the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program, directing the DOTr to validate consolidation data submitted by operators and cooperatives. The review followed sustained protests from transport groups who argued that consolidation targets and fleet requirements were financially unmanageable for small operators. By reopening the data and revisiting timelines, Dizon signaled a shift toward a more consultative and evidence-based approach, without abandoning the long-term objective of modernizing public transport. Road safety became another focus after a series of deadly vehicular accidents in May, including crashes involving public utility buses on the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway and near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). In response, the DOTr imposed mandatory drug testing for PUV drivers and stricter limits on driving hours, reinforcing measures that had previously been unevenly applied. On the infrastructure front, Dizon pushed for greater private sector participation in rail operations, particularly through the planned public-private partnership (PPP) for Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2). In June, the DOTr accelerated preparatory work for the proposed PPP, instructing agencies to complete feasibility studies, regulatory clearances, and financial modeling ahead of a potential 2026 bidding window. The initiative was framed as a way to improve system reliability and reduce the long-term subsidy burden on the government. Internally, Dizon ordered tighter coordination among the DOTr’s attached agencies, responding to persistent delays in rail, airport and port projects. He required weekly progress audits, updated risk assessments, and closer oversight of project managers, aiming to cut through bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve decision-making. These management protocols were later institutionalized through the department’s Flagship Project Management Office, which centralizes oversight of major projects such as the North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR), the Metro Manila Subway, and the EDSA Busway. By August, the DOTr had proposed its largest budget to date, seeking P196.6 billion for 2026 under the National Expenditure Program to support major rail, airport and maritime projects. During congressional deliberations, lawmakers trimmed the request, with the Senate eventually approving P189.3 billion for the agency — still one of the biggest allocations in DOTr history and a reflection of the administration’s continued emphasis on transport infrastructure. Construction of the 147-kilometer NSCR continued in 2025, backed by foreign financing, with partial operations targeted in the latter half of the decade. The Metro Manila Subway, the country’s first underground rail line, made incremental progress on right-of-way acquisition, though full operations were pushed further into the 2030s due to earlier delays. Other projects, including MRT-7, the LRT-1 Cavite Extension, the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit system, and the EDSA Busway, advanced at varying paces amid procurement and implementation challenges. Dizon’s reassignment on Aug. 31 followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to tap him to lead the DPWH after the resignation of Manuel Bonoan over alleged anomalies in flood control projects. While the controversy centered on DPWH, the leadership change placed renewed attention on Dizon’s brief but active period at the DOTr. Lopez, a longtime DOTr undersecretary with extensive institutional experience across rail, road and aviation sectors, was designated acting secretary and moved quickly to assure continuity. He pledged to maintain the suspension of mandatory cashless toll collection until system readiness improves, continue the validation of PUV consolidation data, and pursue rail expansion plans using the oversight mechanisms introduced earlier in the year. Lopez also committed to keeping agencies aligned on project timetables, stressing that predictable delivery remains central to the administration’s infrastructure agenda. Malacañang said the transition was intended to keep reforms on track at the DOTr. As 2025 closed, the transportation sector marked another year of leadership change, but with a clearer policy direction shaped by Dizon’s short tenure and sustained by Lopez’s emphasis on stability, continuity, and execution.