DWPH undersecretary Cabral resigns amid budget insertion allegations

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Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon shares this development with the Senate panel probing anomalous flood control projects which Cathy Cabral snubbed. The committee issues a subpoena against her.

MANILA, Philippines – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief Vince Dizon confirmed on Thursday, September 18, that he has accepted the courtesy resignation of Undersecretary Cathy Cabral amid allegations of budget insertions.

Dizon told the Senate panel probing anomalous flood control projects on Thursday, September 18, that he accepted Cabral’s resignation two days earlier, on September 14.

Cabral snubbed the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Thursday — her first time to skip the probe. She attended the House flood control probe on September 9.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, the blue ribbon panel chair, previously alleged that Cabral reached out to the office of Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III shortly after Sotto won in the May 2025 elections to ask what the senator wanted to insert in the proposed 2026 national budget.

In his September 9 privilege speech, Lacson also shared a screenshot of the alleged conversation between Cabral and Sotto’s staff.

Rappler previously reached out to Cabral to address this allegation, but she has yet to reply as of writing.

As Undersecretary for Planning and Public-Private Partnership (PPP), Cabral oversees the DPWH’s infrastructure planning and programming, as well as its PPP projects. 

– Rappler.com