The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday apologized to the Senate Committee on Finance for submitting insufficient information during the bicameral deliberations on its proposed 2026 budget, acknowledging shortcomings in the data it initially provided on revised construction cost estimates.
In a statement, the DPWH said it failed to submit adequate details on the application of the updated Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD), the reference used in estimating the cost of materials for public works projects.
The department said it initially provided only the Regional Adjustment Factors, which it admitted were inadequate for senators to determine project-level cost adjustments affecting nearly 10,000 projects nationwide.
“We acknowledge and sincerely apologize for the insufficient initial data,” Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said, adding that the limited information constrained the Senate panel’s ability to accurately assess the impact of the revised CMPD on individual projects.
To address the issue, the DPWH said it has since submitted additional data categorized by project type and incorporating variables such as hauling distances and localized market conditions, which it said would provide a more realistic basis for funding requirements.
The apology followed the suspension of Monday’s bicameral conference committee meeting after lawmakers reached a deadlock over a proposed P45-billion cut to the DPWH’s 2026 budget, with senators pushing for the reductions and House members warning that the cuts could render thousands of projects unimplementable.
The Senate earlier reduced the DPWH’s proposed 2026 budget to P570.48 billion from the P624.48 billion allocation approved by the House of Representatives, citing adjustments based on the CMPD submitted by the agency.
Over the weekend, the DPWH appealed for the restoration of the amounts deducted from its budget, arguing that the reductions were based on incomplete data and would adversely affect ongoing and planned infrastructure projects.
Senators said the budget adjustments were derived from the CMPD figures provided by the DPWH, which resulted in estimated reductions of around P45 billion in the agency’s proposed spending.
The DPWH said it remains committed to transparency and ensuring that all budgetary adjustments are grounded in technical integrity and operational feasibility as deliberations on the 2026 national budget continue.
