DPWH Secretary Bonoan resigns after confirming ghost flood control projects

Manuel Bonoan resigned as Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways on August 31, 2025. The resignation came twelve days after his public confirmation at a House inquiry that ghost flood control projects existed in Bulacan, and his disclosure that Wawao Builders' aggregate Bulacan portfolio reached approximately P5.97 billion across 85 projects. Bonoan's August 19, 2025 testimony was the first time a sitting cabinet secretary publicly acknowledged the scale of the irregularities that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's "Philippines Under Water" inquiry would document over the following months. His testimony shifted the political weight of the investigation from whistleblower allegations to institutional confirmation. The Independent Commission on Infrastructure later recommended administrative charges against Bonoan, citing testimony from former Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo and others that the secretary had been consulted on fund releases tied to the kickback scheme. Bonoan has acknowledged the irregularities while denying personal participation in any kickback arrangement.