The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has removed all locally funded flood-control projects from its proposed 2026 budget, cutting nearly P255 billion from its total proposed allocation.
The DPWH said on Wednesday the move was in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive and the House of Representatives’ demand for a full review of the scandal-laden infrastructure projects.
At Wednesday’s hearing of the House Committee on Appropriations, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said locally funded flood projects worth P252 billion were scrapped, leaving only P15.7 billion in foreign-assisted projects.
“The President understands this,” he told lawmakers.
In a September 15 letter to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, coursed through Appropriations Chair Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing, Dizon submitted the revised proposal at P625.8 billion — lower by 28.99 percent than the original P881.3 billion.
Dizon said it was the lowest DPWH budget since 2020, reflecting the administration’s intent to overhaul spending practices in the department.
‘Practical revision’
The DPWH secretary noted the revision triggered by issues raised in budget deliberations, including duplication, completed items and substandard projects. “This revision represents the most practical and achievable output given the limited timeframe,” he said.
President Marcos recommended reallocating the freed-up P255 billion to priority programs in agriculture, education, healthcare, housing, labor, social welfare and information technology.
Congress, through the appropriations panel, is reviewing the revised National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026 and will deliberate on how to redirect the funds.
Non-existent or substandard
The reallocation follows revelations that numerous flood-control projects nationwide were either non-existent or built with substandard materials, sparking alarm in both chambers of Congress.
The removal of flood-control projects marks one of the most drastic single-year reductions in the DPWH budget in recent history, highlighting how the administration has turned the spotlight on alleged ghost projects and questionable contractors.
Lawmakers have warned that unless systemic flaws are corrected, billions in public funds risk being wasted year after year.
For communities that often rely on flood-control infrastructure, the cut raises questions about how urgently needed projects will be prioritized and funded moving forward.
More tightly monitored
Dizon stressed that only foreign-assisted projects were retained, signaling a shift to more tightly monitored programs backed by development partners.
Senate hearings since August had cast a shadow over the DPWH’s flood-control portfolio, with Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva denying claims they benefited from cuts in dubious projects.
Their names, alongside contractors flagged in Commission on Audit reports, surfaced in testimonies that painted a picture of entrenched irregularities.
The House inquiry also exposed patterns of duplication and misallocation, with some districts receiving multiple tranches for the same project while others were left without critical infrastructure. Lawmakers said this underscored the need for a wholesale clean-up of the DPWH budget system.
