No budget cuts so far as DPWH secures more time to defend projects

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways’ proposed 2026 budget stays at ₱625.78 billion for now, as Secretary Vince Dizon was granted more time to justify projects flagged by the Senate finance committee.

The Senate panel, led by Senator Win Gatchalian, approved the proposed DPWH budget on Monday, Oct.27, subject to the agency’s submission of more documents by Friday, October 31.

Last week, the committee deferred approval of the DPWH budget after identifying a number of “red flags,” including 948 projects of over ₱14 billion that reappeared in the 2026 proposal despite already being funded for completion this year.

In Monday’s hearing, Dizon clarified that 798 of the projects have been confirmed as continuing.

Asked if any were duplicates, Dizon said: “Sa 798, wala. Doon sa 148, hindi ko pa po masasabi.”

The remaining 148 projects of about ₱2.8 billion are for validation.

Dizon appealed for more time to finish the process. Gatchalian, noting that the committee had found no evidence of bad faith in most cases, granted the DPWH until Friday to submit the remaining documents.

Meanwhile, the agency has already provided station numbers for 4,085 out of 4,566 projects previously questioned, with Dizon committing to turn in the rest - along with details on possible duplicate and multi-phased projects - before the deadline.

“Kung hindi mavalidate, ma-justify, at mabigyan ng detalye yung mga line item [If the line items can’t be validated, justified, and be detailed], please, we give the committee the liberty to remove those projects from the list of projects in the DPWH 2026 budget,” Dizon said.

He added that the DPWH will also submit a revised cost of materials for its infrastructure projects, including potential savings identified during review

Gatchalian earlier warned that the agency could face budget cuts of up to ₱340 billion if it fails to explain the red flags and alleged project overpricing.