Former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral has died after an incident along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet. The embattled ex-official was found unconscious beside the Bued River following a search on the evening of Thursday, December 18, 2025.
Timeline of a Tragic Discovery
According to a report from the Benguet Police Provincial Office, the sequence of events began on the afternoon of December 18. Cabral's driver stated that she asked to be left alone in Barangay Camp 4 around 3 p.m. He complied and proceeded to a nearby Milo Gasoline Station.
The driver returned to the location at approximately 5 p.m. but could not find Cabral. After an initial search of the area proved fruitless, he went to the supposed Ion Hotel in Baguio City, thinking she might have gone there. He was again unsuccessful.
By 7 p.m., the driver returned to the scene on Kennon Road to resume searching. Still unable to locate her, he proceeded to the Viewdeck Station 8 of the Baguio City Police Office to formally report her missing.
Police, accompanied by the driver, then launched a search. They discovered Cabral's body beside the Bued River, roughly 20 to 30 meters below the highway. She was found unconscious and unresponsive. Personnel from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council were called to retrieve her body.
Maria Catalina Cabral was officially declared dead at 12:03 a.m. on Friday, December 19, 2025. Authorities have stated that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death is currently ongoing.
A Distinguished Career Under Scrutiny
In an official statement, the DPWH expressed its condolences to Cabral's family. The department highlighted her more than 40 years of service and noted her historic achievements.
Cabral was a licensed civil engineer with two doctorate degrees—one in Business Management and Public Administration, and another in Urban and Regional Planning. She broke barriers as the first female rank-and-file employee promoted to the position of undersecretary at the DPWH.
Her professional legacy also included being the first female president of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) and later leading the Road Engineering Association of the Philippines.
However, in recent years, Cabral became a central figure in multiple legislative inquiries. She was summoned by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and other bodies over allegations of irregularities in flood control projects. The probes focused on issues of budget insertions and potential kickbacks.
These investigations led to recommendations for graft and malversation charges against her and other former DPWH officials in connection with the so-called "flood control mess." Cabral submitted her resignation from the DPWH in September 2025, which was accepted by the department's leadership.
Ongoing Probe and Mourning
The DPWH, in its statement, asked the public to respect the privacy of Cabral's grieving family. "We recognize the profound loss the family is facing and offer our sincerest prayers," the department said.
As the Benguet police continue their investigation into the tragic incident, the passing of Catalina Cabral marks a somber end to a prominent and controversial career in Philippine public works and engineering.
