MANILA — Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday warned that thousands of infrastructure projects slated for next year may not be fully implemented unless lawmakers restore a P45-billion budget cut imposed during bicameral deliberations on the 2026 national budget.
Dizon said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is appealing to the Bicameral Conference Committee to reverse the across-the-board reduction applied to around 10,000 projects.
He explained that while the cuts do not necessarily reduce the total budget allocation on paper, they would limit the agency’s ability to fully carry out the affected projects.
Dizon made the appeal amid tensions in the bicam, which reconciles the House and Senate versions of the national budget, after senators refused to reinstate funding reductions earlier made to the DPWH budget.
According to House lawmakers, the Senate-approved cuts could render up to 10,000 projects, with an estimated total value of P400 billion, unimplementable if left unchanged.
The dispute stems from the revised construction materials price data (CMPD) submitted by the DPWH to the Senate, which was used as the basis for the budget reductions.
The House argued that the Senate erred in applying the CMPD adjustment uniformly across all projects.
During bicameral discussions, Dizon maintained that CMPD adjustments should be applied on a per-project basis, noting that construction material costs vary depending on location.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Sherwin Gatchalian, however, defended the Senate’s position and said projects could still proceed if adjusted to fit within the authorized budget levels.
Dizon said the DPWH would comply with Congress’ final decision but reiterated concerns over the impact of the cuts on project implementation. He also clarified that the agency is no longer using outdated construction price data.
The budget issue follows heightened scrutiny of DPWH projects after a flood control controversy exposed cases of alleged overpricing and substandard work.