DPWH Chief Vows Lifetime Ban on ‘Ghost Project’ Contractors 

Wawao Builders general manager, Mark Allan Arevalo.

DPWH Chief Vows Lifetime Ban on ‘Ghost Project’ Contractors 

By Bing Jabadan – TheNationWeek.Com | September 5, 2025

MANILA, Philippines – Newly installed Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon has vowed to pursue a lifetime ban and file criminal charges against contractors Wawao Builders and Syms Construction Trading, allegedly involved in fraudulent flood control projects.

Dizon’s move was prompted by a burgeoning ghost projects scandal that has drawn the ire of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

His announcement came on Thursday (Sept. 4, 2025) during an inspection of a P96-million flood control project in Barangay Sipat, Plaridel, Bulacan, which he labeled as a “ghost project” attributed to Wawao Builders.

He declared a zero-tolerance approach to corruption within the DPWH, adding that Syms Construction would face similar penalties.

Dizon warned that contractors connected to “ghost” flood control projects would automatically be subject to a “perpetual ban” from DPWH contracts.

He said he would recommend to the Department of Justice to pursue the filing of criminal charges, including plunder and syndicated estafa, against the implicated firms.

Wawao Builders has been identified as a major recipient of lucrative flood control contracts awarded between July 2022 and May 2025.

The company’s general manager, Mark Allan Arevalo, recently invoked his right against self-incrimination during testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, refusing to confirm or deny allegations of “ghost projects.”

The investigation stemmed from concerns over a P55-million reinforced concrete river wall project in Barangay Piel, Baliuag, Bulacan, undertaken by Syms Construction Trading.

Following his own inspection on Aug. 20, the President deemed the work a “ghost project,” fueling demand for accountability.

Dizon’s stance signals a renewed commitment to transparency and integrity within the DPWH, promising swift and decisive action against contractors found to be defrauding the government of billions of pesos and endangering public safety.