President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Saturday announced a major budget realignment that will scrap P255.55-billion worth of proposed flood control projects and realign the funds to programs aimed at directly improving the lives of Filipinos.
Speaking before tropical cyclone-affected residents and farmers in Cagayan, Marcos said the government decided to cancel the locally funded flood control allocation under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2026 to ensure that public money is used more efficiently and meaningfully.
“If we hadn’t done that, that P255 billion would just go somewhere else. So it’s good that we canceled all the flood control projects for 2026, and that is the savings we have,” Mr. Marcos said during the event.
He explained that the decision was made after a review of previous infrastructure projects that failed to deliver substantial results, adding that the move reflects his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and prioritizing programs that have immediate and lasting impact.
According to the chief executive, the new breakdown of the budget includes P35.91 billion for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to support cash assistance programs, psychosocial services, livelihood projects, and construction of social facilities.
The Department of Education (DepEd) will also receive P26.55 billion for classroom construction, school feeding programs, and learning recovery initiatives.
Similarly, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will get P9.3 billion for scholarships and student assistance, while P1 billion is allocated to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
P39.37 billion will then go to the Department of Agriculture (DA) for farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, cold storage, post-harvest facilities, and fisheries infrastructure.
The Department of Health (DOH) will receive P29.28 billion to provide medical aid for indigent patients and complete major hospital projects.
A significant P60 billion will likewise go to PhilHealth to fund its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), expand urgent care and ambulatory services, and improve access to outpatient medications.
Other allocations include P450 million for the Philippine Science High School System, P3 billion for the rehabilitation of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), P18 billion for the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) emergency employment and livelihood programs, and P5 billion for irrigation system repairs under the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will also get P2.5 billion to expand digital infrastructure, while P4.62 billion will go to the Department of Energy (DOE) for electrification projects.
Finally, the Department of Finance (DOF) will get P135 million to strengthen its anti-agricultural smuggling campaign, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will receive P4 million for a waste-to-energy project.
