Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has appealed to the Senate to restore amounts deducted from the Department of Public Works and Highways’ proposed 2026 budget, warning that the reductions could affect the implementation of key infrastructure and flood control projects.
The DPWH has been allocated a proposed P854.3 billion for 2026, down from P1.09 trillion in the previous year.
The reductions were largely due to adjustments made to the Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD), a reform measure intended to align project costs with prevailing market prices and curb corruption.
In a motion for reconsideration submitted to the Senate, the DPWH requested that the deducted amounts be restored and that the agency be allowed to implement project cost adjustments using the updated CMPD Special Issuance as part of its executive functions.
The department said this would ensure accurate costing and the proper execution of projects.
The DPWH said the request was necessary to avoid inaccurate estimates that could render projects unimplementable, potentially leading to underspending and related legal and administrative issues.
It added that a detailed process must be followed in applying the updated CMPD to ensure consistency and compliance across implementing offices.
To enforce the updated pricing data, the DPWH has issued a department order directing regional and district engineering offices to adjust all pay items in their programs of work, revise approved budgets for contracts, and comply with documentation and quality assurance requirements before procurement.
The department warned concerned officials that failure to comply would open them to administrative sanctions and possible criminal charges under existing laws.
The Senate has been closely scrutinizing the DPWH budget as part of broader efforts to remove discretionary or “lump sum” funds, particularly following a corruption scandal involving flood control projects.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Sherwin Gatchalian earlier stated the DPWH allocation was further reduced in the Senate version of the proposed spending plan.
