MANILA (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has reassigned two of his administration’s top-performing Cabinet officials in a strategic move aimed at accelerating reforms, improving daily public services, and ensuring that gains achieved in government agencies endure beyond his term.
Presidential Communications Secretary Lino Cayetano said the changes reflect the President’s commitment to “shift gears” and deliver reforms that Filipinos can immediately feel in their everyday lives.
“This is how the President leads. He puts the right people where they can deliver the most,” Cayetano said during Monday's Palace briefing. “The mission stays the same: a government that works faster, serves better, and makes life easier for every Filipino.”
Under the reshuffle, Secretary Vince Dizon returns to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), where he has been tasked to ease the burden of daily commuters, improve frontline services, and fast-track critical transportation projects.
Meanwhile, Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez will take the helm of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), where he is expected to institutionalize reforms and strengthen accountability measures introduced in recent months.
Cayetano said Marcos has given Dizon a clear mandate: make commuting easier for ordinary Filipinos.
Among Dizon’s priorities are reducing queues at the Land Transportation Office (LTO), eliminating opportunities for fixers, and accelerating major transport infrastructure projects aimed at shortening travel times.
The administration hopes these efforts will allow workers and students to spend less time on congested roads and more time with their families.
“Focus on the commute, focus on the LTO, and focus on critical transportation projects that will benefit the Filipino people,” Cayetano said, describing the President’s directive.
At the DPWH, Lopez is expected to build on reforms initiated under Dizon, including increased project transparency, completion of long-delayed infrastructure works, and stronger monitoring of public spending.
According to Cayetano, the department has already undergone significant structural and institutional changes in the wake of intensified scrutiny of infrastructure projects.
The next phase, he said, is ensuring that reforms are embedded into systems and processes that will endure for years.
A lawyer and certified public accountant, Lopez was chosen for his expertise in governance, accountability, and institution-building.
“The President believes Secretary Banoy Lopez is a systems builder,” Cayetano said.
“His task is to strengthen safeguards and institutionalize reforms so that these become lasting practices that continue serving Filipinos even after this administration,” he added.
Lopez has also been directed to accelerate the implementation of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure projects needed by communities nationwide.
Responding to questions on why the President opted to swap two high-performing Cabinet secretaries rather than appoint new officials, Cayetano emphasized that the decision was driven by agency needs rather than politics.
He described Dizon as a “known disruptor” and reformer capable of delivering rapid interventions in sectors requiring immediate action, particularly transportation, while portraying Lopez as the leader best suited to transform reforms into permanent institutional practices.
“The President first defined the mission, then selected the people he believes can best accomplish it,” Cayetano said.
He also dismissed suggestions that the reshuffle was influenced by political considerations, ongoing controversies, or concerns related to confirmation proceedings before the Commission on Appointments.
“The President does not make decisions based on politics,” he said.
“He makes decisions based on what is best for the Filipino people,” he added.
Asked whether the move was intended to address fluctuations in public trust and approval ratings, Cayetano said the administration remains focused on delivering results rather than responding to political metrics.
“It is a direct response to the needs of our people,” he said.
“The President is looking for solutions that will improve lives not only today, but for the long term,” he added.
Cayetano said the Cabinet reorganization underscores the Marcos Jr. administration’s emphasis on continuity, accountability, and outcomes.
He expressed confidence that both departments will experience a seamless leadership transition as budget deliberations continue and major infrastructure and transportation programs move forward.
“The President wants reforms that are not temporary,” Cayetano said.
“He wants systems that work, projects that are completed, and services that improve people’s lives,” he added.
With approximately 20 months remaining in the administration, the Palace said the appointments are intended to ensure that government reforms move faster, become institutionalized, and continue generating benefits for Filipinos across the country.
“Arangkada ang reporma para sa Pilipino,” Cayetano said, summing up the administration’s objective of delivering faster services, stronger institutions, and tangible improvements in the daily lives of citizens. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
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