Sen. Ping Lacson Speaks on DPWH Request To Restore P45 Billion in its Budget
PING LACSON – The Senator claimed that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should clarify if they committed a mistake in the computation over the agency’s proposed fund.
The lawmakers are currently spending their time in the budget process in the pursuit to meet the target to submit the final proposal to the Office of the President before the year ends. The bicameral conference committee has started but the scheduled session yesterday was postponed.
The bicam was postponed after the lawmakers were left with different opinions following the request of the DPWH to restore a portion of the agency’s 2026 proposed budget that was initially cut. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously ordered a sweeping review on the agency’s proposed budget amid the flood control mess in the country.
Not only senators and congressmen were tagged in the supposed multi-billion flood control corruption in the country. Several officials of the DPWH were also implicated in the issue. Following the sweeping review, Public Works chief Vince Dizon announced that the agency’s proposed budget is down by P255 billion.
Furthermore, Dizon also asked the spliced budget to be reallocated to other sectors. He also promised that they will run after all the corrupt officials to return the loot to the government’s funds. However, recently, many people including some senators were surprised by the alleged “change of script” of the DPWH Secretary.
During the bicam, DPWH chief Vince Dizon asked the Congress to restore the P45-billion budget cut in the agency’s proposed fund. According to him, around 10,000 projects of the agency may not be implemented without it. He stressed the alleged changes in the Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD).
The request of Dizon earned different reactions from the senators. As for Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson, the DPWH should allegedly clarify if the committed an error in the computation.
“Samantalang ang nakita naming pagkakamali, nasa agency. Mali yung computation doon, yung estimate ninyo, o calculation niyo na kayang magbawas ng 25%,” Lacson said based on a post of News5 on social media.
Furthermore, based on the post, Sen. Ping Lacson also claimed that they are allegedly appearing as the villain if they will increase the budget of the DPWH. Thus, he stressed that the agency should clarify the issue.
“Liwanagin niyo na nagkamali kayo ng computation. Hindi ‘yung kami ‘yung lalabas na kontrabida na magdagdagdag kami, ‘yung Congress,” he said.
As for presidential sister and Sen. Imee Marcos, she slammed DPWH chief Vince Dizon over his alleged change of script.