Surigao del Sur 1st district Rep. Romeo Momo's legislative agenda in the upcoming 20th Congress centers on infrastructure development measures.
Momo, House Committee on Public Works and Highways chairman in the 19tth Congress, laid out his plans during the 2025 Midyear National Convention District Engineers League of the Philippines, Inc. (DELP) held at Okada Manila on Friday, May 30.
The Mindanao lawmaker vowed to work on the passage of the 30-year National Infrastructure Program, the amendment to the Road Right of Way Act, the updated National Building Act, and the creation of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 14 (BARMM).
He said these critical legislations that would help build the country’s infrastructure and pave the way for better public service and national development.
He urged the 394-strong DPWH assistant and district engineers to have “an active role in crafting” infrastructure-related bills “so that we will have meaningful, up-to-date, and practical legislations for our people".
“That is what unites us today. We are not just builders of roads, bridges, school buildings, evacuation centers, slope protection, and flood control. We are builders of access, opportunity, safe sanctuary in times of disasters, and national development,” Momo said.
“The infrastructure we deliver connects lives and strengthens local economies. Whether it is a road that links a rural barangay to a town center, a school building that opens new bright futures, or a public facility that improves day-to-day life, our work speaks the language of service and dedication,” he added.
An engineer by profession, Momo shared that he had been in government service since 1974, rising from the ranks—first, as assistant district engineer before becoming district engineer, regional director, and then, undersecretary of the DPWH.
“Now that I serve in Congress, I bring with me the perspective and experience of someone who has lived this noble profession,” Momo said in the event also attended by DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan and the executive committee.
“I continue to advocate for greater investment in infrastructure, for practical policies that empower our field offices, and for stronger recognition of the critical role played by district and regional engineers. You are the backbone of our public service delivery, and your role in building this nation deserves unwavering support,” he added.
Momo promised that he, together with the DPWH chief, will help “iron things out” when district engineers and assistant district engineers find congressional hurdles in implementing projects.
He acknowledged the challenges—delays, procurement hurdles, limited funding, harassment cases, and difficult terrains—that engineers in government service face in their profession.
But he reminded them to meet such challenges with “integrity, resilience, and professionalism,” as well as to adapt and deliver because “our work directly impacts the future of our nation and the very lives of countless Filipinos".
“Today, we face a new generation of demands. Climate-resilient infrastructure, digital transformation, devolved implementation, and a heightened expectation for transparency require us not only to be competent engineers but responsive leaders. You, our district engineers, are on the front lines of this transformation,” he said.
“The legacy we build is not measured only in kilometers or square meters, but in the dignity we restore to communities, the hope we foster, and the trust we uphold in service,” Momo further said.