In a dubious record of sorts, the DPWH Catanduanes District Engineering Office now has its fifth district engineer in the past four years after the erstwhile boss, Simon N. Arias, was relieved of his duties last week.
In separate special orders issued on Aug. 28, 2025, DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan reassigned DE Arias to the regional office and, in his place, designated Northern Samar First DEO assistant district engineer Vivian G. Biaco as officer-in-charge.
It may be recalled that then DE Gil Augustus A. Balmadrid’s stint in Catanduanes was cut short on Aug. 8. 2022, about a month after the new House representative, Cong. Eulogio R. Rodriguez, assumed office.
It is claimed that the Rodriguez camp asked the DPWH regional director, Virgilio C. Eduarte, to replace Balmadrid for an undisclosed reason.
He was replaced by Camarines Sur DE Edy Ferdinand R. Joven as OIC but the latter lasted just six months after he was embroiled in a controversy at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
Following the transfer of bidding of more than 75 percent of the district’s infrastructure projects to the regional office, DE Joven refused to answer questions from the provincial board members and later failed to report to his office for three weeks, filing a leave of absence.
On March 1, 2023, he was replaced “in the interest of the service” by Engr. Denis C. Cagomoc, reportedly a relative of RD Eduarte from Samar island.
Two days later, the assistant DE, Engr. Noland Claro B. Guerrero, was himself replaced by Engr. Maximo C. Eleda of Camarines Sur., who would be replaced more than a year later by ADE Joy Agnes Nachor.
Both Joven and Guerrero joined Balmadrid in “exile” at the regional office, along with two other DEs ousted from their respective district engineering offices.
Eight months after his appointment, DE Cagomoc decided not to report to Catanduanes and went on forced leave, with Sec. Bonoan ordering his replacement by then Masbate DE Simon Arias.
Arias had reportedly accepted the Catanduanes posting on the promise that he would be promoted to assistant regional director in a region outside Bicol within the year.
Veteran DPWH officials are not sure if Arias’ reassignment is related to the flood control project controversy or was due to political pressure.
It is alleged that separate complaints have been filed against DE Arias and one other official of the Catanduanes DEO with the office of Sec. Bonoan.
For three years now, the district office has been under pressure from a certain political personality who wants to ensure that infrastructure projects for bidding go to favored contractors.
Arias and the two other DEs before him were also involved in the transfer to the regional office of billions in infra projects intended for implementation by the Catanduanes DEO.
This has resulted in lost business opportunities for the local construction industry and the termination of contractual engineers at the DEO due to the lack of projects to be overseen.
During the stint of Cong. Cesar Sarmiento, three district engineers served the Catanduanes DEO – Engr Romeo Doloiras, Engr. Elmer Redrico and Engr. Gil Balmadrid.
Balmadrid headed the district for the entire three years of Cong. Hector Sanchez, only to be unceremoniously booted out just two months after Cong. Eulogio Rodriguez assumed office.
Arias, the fourth DE of Catanduanes, has reportedly refused to join Joven and Eleda at the “holding” office at DPWH regional office and has requested a posting at the central office.