Vivencio “Vince” Bringas Dizon, the newly appointed Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), took his oath of office before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang today, February 21.

It has been a week since the Palace announced that Dizon would be the new Secretary of the DOTr, following the resignation of outgoing Secretary Jaime Bautista, who cited health reasons as the cause.

Dizon previously held key positions, including President and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Deputy Chief Implementer of the National Action Plan during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Presidential Adviser on Flagship Programs and Projects under the Duterte administration.

He stated that the president has ordered the acceleration of transportation projects to alleviate the daily commuting struggles of Filipinos.

Suspension of cashless toll collection

Dizon also announced that he has suspended the planned implementation of cashless toll collection on expressways starting March 15.

Dizon emphasized that he would consult with toll operators to determine whether their systems are now more efficient.

Additionally, he voiced his concern that the cashless toll collection system could be considered anti-poor.

“The need to regulate should not result in making the lives of people difficult. Dapat gumiginhawa ang buhay ng tao, hindi pinapahirapan,” said Dizon.