The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) deflected blame for failed flood-control projects, pointing out that some lawmakers earmarked funding for projects without first seeking the agency’s technical guidance.
In a radio interview, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said some solons inserted unvetted flood-control projects into the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“Many flood-control projects were inserted into the national budget during the past bicameral deliberations without coordinating with the DPWH,” he told Radyo dzBB in Filipino.
“New items that were not validated by us [the DPWH] are the ones that have seen delayed implementation,” the secretary added.
Bonoan said the department only learned about funding for specific flood control projects after they were already inserted into the final version of the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
He added that last-minute insertions often cause delays, especially when they involve right-of-way issues or affect existing communities.
“We will handle the implementation [of the projects]; however, it will take some time to perform the necessary assessments and validations,” he said.
The DPWH received a massive budget of P980.25 billion for flood control projects nationwide from 2023 to 2025, but flooding persists in Metro Manila and some provinces during heavy rains or typhoons.
Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero said the Executive Branch cannot expect Congress to pass the national budget unchanged while Cabinet officials continue lobbying lawmakers for modifications.
He acknowledged that the administration has the prerogative to pursue its proposed budget but emphasized that the power of the purse still belongs to Congress, and that the Executive’s submission could not be accepted wholesale as if Congress were merely a “rubber stamp.”
“If the House is willing to do that, and it seems to be afraid to do that, then that’s their call. But on the part of the Senate, we will review the budget and propose the necessary amendments based on the inputs given to us as well,” he said on Wednesday.
“If they don’t want the budget changed…then they should start by talking to their secretaries and instruct them to stop lobbying Congress for additions or changes to their respective agency budgets,” the senator added.
For his part, Senator Panfilo Lacson pushed for a more transparent bicameral deliberation or “open bicam” in the budget process, saying it could help identify lawmakers attempting to make questionable insertions.
“The insertions may not be completely eliminated, but at the very least, we can identify who inserted or realigned the funds for projects that were changed from the NEP once they reached Congress,” he said.
“It’s easy to pinpoint if the public is watching and if there are official minutes, because right now, the budget bicam doesn’t keep any. But if there are minutes and transcripts, it will be clear who among the lawmakers made the insertions,” the senator added.
Lacson also reiterated his call for a longer period for the Senate to review House amendments to the NEP.
At the House of Representatives, 4Ps party-list Rep. Jonathan Clement Abalos also called for greater transparency in the budgeting process.
He said budget allocations for essential government programs can be protected from unwarranted adjustments to the detriment of intended beneficiaries if the budget process is under public scrutiny.
“These reforms can prevent unjust budget cuts on social programs similar to what occurred in the previous budget cycles, specifically, to the allocation of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipinong Program (4Ps),” said Abalos.
The lawmaker also lauded the House leadership for raising the bar for transparency and accountability in government budgeting by pushing to open bicameral conference committee deliberations to the public.
