Emil K. Sadain

Senior Undersecretary, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)

Senior Emil K. Sadain is a leading figure in the Philippine infrastructure development, bringing to the table more than three (3) decades of technical expertise in the field of management and civil engineering.

He is the sole Senior Undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways since August 2022 with the distinction of “primus inter pares” or first among equals to his peers in the DPWH hierarchy.

He oversees the implementation of various projects funded under Official Development Assistance which have strengthened the Philippines’ bilateral ties to our neighboring countries such as Japan, China and South Korea and multilateral agencies like Asian Development and World Bank.

Under the Administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, he is in charge of all DPWH Flagship Infrastructure Projects, which is a continuation of his vital role as the Chief Implementer of the previous administration’s Build Build Build program.

Prior to that, he served as Undersecretary since 2016 and, while serving as Assistant Secretary, was appointed on secondment status as Regional Cabinet Secretary for DPWH Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao from January 2012 to June 2015.

Behind his modest image are impressive citations he received such as the prestigious Presidential Gawad Career Executive Service (CES) Award conferred on September 2017 by former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte; Regional Awardee for the National Capital Region in the Civil Service Commission’s 2020 Search for Outstanding Government Worker - Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award category. A very devoted Muslim family man, his family was awarded Model Filipino Family for Mindanao (“Huwarang Pamilyang Filipino for Mindanao”) in 1999.

With his extensive and diverse experiences, achievements, and strong leadership traits, he was unanimously elected on November, 2022 as National President of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers Inc. (PICE) - Philippines’ biggest professional organization with local and international chapters such as in U.S.A., Dubai and Saudi Arabia. He formally assumed the role of PICE National President and chair of the 2024 National Board of Directors on January 12, 2024 to maintain PICE prominence and raising the bar of civil engineering profession.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Sanitary Engineering degrees and furthered his education with a Master in Construction Management. He placed 2nd in the 1992 Sanitary Engineers Licensure Examination and had a stint of serving as a professor in the National University.