“We need to hold reckless motorists and drivers accountable on the road. We will not stop it.“
—GIOVANNI LOPEZ,
DOTr Secretary
For the transportation sector, 2025 is a year of transformation — marked by reforms and leadership changes aimed at elevating the quality of service for the Filipino people.
These initiatives began in June 2022, when President Marcos appointed then Secretary Jaime Bautista to spearhead the country’s major infrastructure agenda.
Upon taking office, Bautista committed to accelerating the development of rail, maritime, road and aviation projects—infrastructure he views as a catalyst for hope and opportunity for millions of Filipinos.
He has been proactive in tackling persistent bottlenecks, including budgetary constraints and right-of-way acquisitions.
During his tenure, Bautista oversaw the successful bidding and turnover of NAIA’s operations and maintenance to the private sector, marking a significant milestone in airport modernization.
New NAIA Infrastructure Corp (NNIC) in March 2024 signed the P170.6-billion contract to operate, maintain and upgrade NAIA for 15 years, extendible for another 10 years.
The government expects to generate P900 billion in revenues in the course of the entire 25-year concession period, inclusive of the P30 billion upfront payment, P2 billion annual payment and 82 percent government revenue share.
In February 2025, Bautista stepped down due to health reasons. He was succeeded by Vince Dizon, a former chief executive and president of Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to ensure the completion of infrastructure projects in the agency.
Dizon’s goal was to rapidly modernize the country’s transport infrastructure while prioritizing passenger safety. He also pledged to expedite big-ticket transportation infrastructure projects to improve the country’s transport system.
Major railway projects include the Metro Manila Subway, North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), MRT-7, LRT-1 Cavite Extension, Unified Grand Central Station and MRT-3 Rehabilitation. In the pipeline are Mindanao Railway Project, MRT-4 and PNR South Long Haul.
Under the road sector, the DOTr is pushing for the expansion of the active transport program and EDSA Busway Project. The agency also continues to push for the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP).
Dizon also spearheaded reforms to enhance the passenger experience, specifically targeting improvements for MRT-3 and EDSA Busway commuters.
In September 2025, the DOTr underwent another leadership transition when Dizon was reassigned to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to “clean up” the agency.
He endorsed Giovanni Lopez, who stepped in as acting secretary to ensure the continuity of transport reforms. A lawyer by profession and a certified public accountant, Lopez has been in the DOTr since 2017 and rose from the ranks as the agency’s Director for Legal Service.
He also held key positions including assistant secretary for procurement and assistant secretary for project implementation, and eventually as chief of staff of former Transportation Secretary Art Tugade.
Under his leadership, Lopez has focused on actualizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to build a “commuter-centric” transportation system.
He said it is also important to continue accountability on the road to ensure the safety of commuters, pedestrians, and motorists. “We need to hold reckless motorists and drivers accountable on the road. We will not stop it,” Lopez said.
