Vince Dizon. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Vivencio "Vince" Dizon will head the Department of Transportation from February 21, 2025, the Palace said Thursday. 

He will replace DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, “who has resigned due to health reasons,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said. 

Dizon previously served as served as Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO and Presidential Adviser for COVID-19 Response under the Duterte administration. 

He “is already authorized by the Office of the President to start the transition at the DOTr” in coordination with Bautista’s team, Bersamin added.

Meanwhile, Bautista thanked the President for the opportunity to work in government which he "considered his most challenging stint", the DOTr said. 

"Sec. Bautista looks forward to a smooth transition, after which a much needed vacation to recuperate from two and a half years of intense public service," the agency said. 

Commuters group The Passenger Forum said Bautista's tenure was "marked by both progress and setbacks."

"While we have strongly opposed some of his policies, we acknowledge his decisive action in preventing the closure of the EDSA Busway—demonstrating his ability to act in the public interest when needed," said the group's convenor Primo Morillo. 

"As we look ahead, we urge the new leadership to prioritize meaningful reforms that move beyond car-centric policies and deliver real solutions to our ongoing transportation crisis. We welcome Sec. Dizon with cautious optimism, recognizing his potential to bring fresh perspectives, particularly given his relative youth compared to his predecessors," he added.