The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) restores authority for its officials to approve and sign infrastructure-related financial transactions through a new department order. The move comes despite an earlier recommendation from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) that DPWH should reduce approval powers as part of anti-corruption reforms. According to reports, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon sustains the ability of regional directors and district engineers to disburse DPWH funds under the updated issuance. The department’s action effectively reverses or overrides the earlier ICI guidance by continuing to allow officials at those levels to handle certain transactions tied to infrastructure projects, rather than limiting their roles. The reports also indicate that the restoration applies to approvals and signatures related to infrastructure financing and contracting processes, as covered by the DPWH order. The outcomes of the earlier ICI recommendation are therefore not reflected in the current authorization framework for DPWH officials, which continues to grant delegated financial transaction authority.