The government surpassed its infrastructure spending program in the first nine months of the year by over P100 billion, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Data released by the DBM showed as of end-September, disbursements for infrastructure and other capital outlays reached P982.4 billion.
This exceeded the programmed amount for the period of P881.9 billion by 11.4 percent or P100.5 billion.
Year-on-year, the amount disbursed is P124.8 billion or 14.6 percent above the P857.6 billion spent in the same nine-month period in 2023.
The DBM attributed this to the significant disbursements recorded in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for its banner infrastructure projects and the Department of National Defense for its defense modernization projects.
In September alone, infrastructure and other capital outlays climbed to P137.1 billion, up by P19.8 billion or 16.9 percent year-on-year.
The increase for the month was due to disbursements or payments for progress billings for completed road network and bridge programs of the DPWH; implementation of various foreign-assisted projects of the Department of Transportation; Implementation of capital outlay projects under the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program; construction, repair and rehabilitation of justice halls nationwide under the Justice System Infrastructure Program of the Department of Justice; and implementation of the Computerization Program of the Department of Education.
The DBM said the overall infrastructure disbursements for the nine-month period, which also accounted for the infrastructure components of transfers to local government units as well as subsidy and equity to government-owned and/or-controlled corporations, reached P1.14 trillion, up by P121.5 billion or 11.9 percent from the previous year’s level.
This was equivalent to 6.1 percent of gross domestic product vis-a-vis 5.9 percent outturn for the same period last year and the 5.6 percent full-year target this year.
