The secretary of public works and highways (Filipino: Kalihim ng mga Pagawain at Lansangang Bayan) is the head of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the national government of the Philippines, and is a member of the president's Cabinet.
The current secretary is Vince Dizon who assumed the post on September 1, 2025, on an ad interim basis as he has yet to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.
List of secretaries of public works and highways
Secretary of Public Works and Communications (1899) PortraitName(Birth–Death) Took office Left officePresidentMaximino PaternoMay 7,1899November 13,1899Emilio Aguinaldo
Secretary of Public Works and Communications (1933–1935) PortraitName(Birth–Death) Took office Left officeGovernor-GeneralFilemon PerezJanuary 1,1933January 2,1933Theodore Roosevelt Jr.Antonio de las Alas(1889–1983)January 26,1933November 15,1935Frank Murphy
Secretary of Public Works and Communications (1935–1941) PortraitName(Birth–Death) Took office Left officePresidentAntonio de las Alas(1889–1983)November 15,1935February 18,1936Manuel L. QuezonMariano Jesús Cuenco(1888–1964)19361939José Avelino(1890–1986)19391941Sotero Baluyut(1889–1975)19411941
Secretary of National Defense, Public Works, Communications and Labor (1941–1944) PortraitName(Birth–Death) Took office Left officePresidentBasilio Valdes(1892–1970)December 24,1941August 1,1944Manuel L. Quezon
Commissioner of Public Works and Communications (1942–1943) PortraitName(Birth–Death) Took office Left officeChairman of the Philippine Executive CommissionQuintín Paredes(1884–1973)January 26,1942October 14,1943Jorge B. Vargas
Minister of Public Works and Communications (1942–1943) Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Took office Left office President Quintín Paredes(1884–1973) October 19,1943 August 24,1944 Jose P. Laurel Jose Paez August 24,1944 1945
Secretary of Public Works and Communications (1945–1951) Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Took office Left office President Sotero Cabahug(1891–1963) March 8,1945 May 28,1946 Sergio Osmeña Ricardo Nepomuceno May 28,1946 1949 Manuel Roxas Elpidio Quirino Prospero Sanidad(1897–1969) June 29,1949 1951
Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications (1951–1978) Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Took office Left office President Sotero Baluyut(1889–1975) January 6,1951 1952 Elpidio Quirino Pablo Lorenzo May 6,1952 1953 Vicente Ylagan Orosa Sr. March 10,1954 1955 Ramon Magsaysay Florencio Moreno April 30,1955 December 30,1961 Carlos P. Garcia Marciano Bautista 1961 1962 Diosdado Macapagal Paulino T. Cases 1962 May 21, 1962 Brigido R. Valencia May 21, 1962 1963 Jorge Abad 1963 1965 Antonio Raquiza(1908–1999) August 24, 1966 1968 Ferdinand Marcos Rene Espina(1929–2019) November 1968 September 1969 Manuel Syquio September 1969 1970 David Consunji(1921–2017) 1970 1975 Alfredo Juinio(1918–2003) 1975 1978
Secretary of Public Highways (1974–1978) Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Took office Left office President Baltazar Aquino 1974 1978 Ferdinand Marcos
Minister of Public Works, Transportation and Communications (1978–1981) Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Took office Left office President Alfredo Juinio(1918–2003) 1974 1981 Ferdinand Marcos
Minister of Public Highways (1978–1981) Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Took office Left office President Baltazar Aquino 1978 1979 Ferdinand Marcos Vicente Paterno(1925–2014) 1979 1980 Jesus Hipolito 1980 1981
Minister of Public Works and Highways (1981–1987) Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Took office Left office President Jesus Hipolito 1981 1986 Ferdinand Marcos Rogaciano Mercado February 25,1986 November 20,1986 Corazon Aquino Vicente Jayme December 2,1986 February 11,1987
Secretary of Public Works and Highways (since 1987) Portrait Name(Birth–Death) Took office Left office President Vicente Jayme February 11,1987 September 1,1987 Corazon Aquino Fiorello Estuar September 21,1987 October 26,1987 Juanito Ferrer October 27,1987 November 4,1988 Fiorello Estuar November 5,1988 December 31,1990 Jose de Jesus January 4,1991 March 1,1993 Fidel V. RamosEduardo MirActingMarch 1,1993June 1,1993Gregorio VigilarJune 1,1993January 20,2001Joseph EstradaSimeon Datumanong(1935–2017)January 20,2001January 15,2003Gloria Macapagal ArroyoBayani Fernando(1946–2023)January 15,2003April 15,2003Florante SoriquezActingApril 15,2003February 15,2005Jun Ebdane(born 1948)February 15,2005February 1,2007Manuel Bonoan(born 1945)ActingFebruary 5,2007July 3,2007Jun Ebdane(born 1948)July 4,2007October 22,2009Victor DomingoOctober 22,2009June 30,2010Rogelio Singson(born 1948)June 30,2010June 30,2016Benigno Aquino IIIRafael Yabut(born 1953)ActingJune 30,2016July 31,2016Rodrigo DuterteMark Villar(born 1978)August 1,2016October 6,2021Roger Mercado(born 1951)ActingOctober 13,2021June 30,2022Manuel Bonoan(born 1945)June 30,2022August 31,2025Bongbong MarcosVince Dizon(born 1974)InterimSeptember 1,2025Ad Interim
External links DPWH website
References