SANTO DOMINGO.– The new Minister of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (MIVHED), Jean Luis Rodríguez, was sworn in yesterday, Monday, by the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña, during a ceremony held at the National Palace.
Peña carried out the protocolary act, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, after the designation of Rodríguez by President Luis Abinader, on the night of August 16, through Decree No. 554-26.
Rodríguez stated that he arrives at MIVHED with the determination to continue the progress achieved and contribute from the experience accumulated during his career in public administration.
“We come from a previous experience where we were able to deliver good results for the country, and that is our commitment,” said Rodríguez, who affirmed that he will work “morning, noon and night” to strengthen the institution’s work and promote new initiatives.
How was Rodríguez's management at APORDOM?
Before assuming the role of Minister of Housing, Rodríguez served as executive director of the Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM), a position he held from August 2020 until his recent transfer to MIVHED.
During his administration, the entity registered significant financial progress. According to institutional reports, by the end of 2025, APORDOM had achieved revenues exceeding RD$2.026 billion, the highest figure ever recorded in the institution's history. This result far surpassed the previous record of approximately RD$800 million, according to data released by the port authority itself.
Progress in the titling of port lands
In the area of property ownership, APORDOM also continued the process of regularizing and titling its lands. The institution reported that more than 60% of its port properties had progressed in this process, including strategic locations such as Cabo Rojo and Haina Occidental.
According to the entity, this initiative contributes to strengthening state assets and provides greater legal certainty for the development of private investments.
Transparency at APORDOM
In terms of transparency, Rodríguez's administration also achieved favorable results. During the first quarter of 2025, APORDOM reported that it achieved a high score in the evaluation of the Institutional Information Quality Monitoring System (ICI).
The institution ranked among the best-rated public bodies out of a total of 118 entities evaluated, according to data released by the port authority itself.
Likewise, APORDOM and HIT Puerto Río Haina were recognized with the 2025 Maritime Award of the Americas, granted by the Inter-American Committee of Ports of the Organization of American States (OAS).
Boosting cruise tourism
The figures reported by APORDOM highlight that during Rodríguez's administration, the Taíno Bay cruise terminal in Puerto Plata received more than 800,000 tourists during 2024, consolidating its importance within the country's cruise circuit.
Looking ahead to 2026, the institution had planned to continue positioning the Dominican Republic as one of the main logistics and tourism centers of the insular Caribbean, through new works and public-private partnerships.
Among the projects considered were the start of operations at the Samaná Bayport, as well as progress in the design of the new Santo Domingo Cruise Terminal.
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