Following the President’s ‘Sweeping Review’ Order, DPWH Submits Revised Proposed Budget for 2026
DPWH – The Department of Public Works and Highways slashed its proposed budget for 2026 by P255 billion and wants it reallocated to other sectors.
The flood control issue in the Philippines has left President Bongbong Marcos and countless Filipinos disappointed and angry. In Bulacan, the President found a ‘ghost’ Riverwall project that cost the government over P55 million. He personally visited the area but there was no structure nor an ongoing structure when he arrived at the place.
Furthermore, the said Riverwall projects is marked completed. The receipts also showed that the project has already been paid in full. Amid the flood control mess, Marcos Jr. ordered for a sweeping review of the proposed budget of the DPWH for 2026 to ensure the proper use of the people’s money. The agency has a change of leadership amid the flood control mess.
Former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan resigned from his position and was replaced by Vince Dizon, a former chief of the Department of Transportation. In his first days in the agency, he announced that he will order the courtesy resignations of all of the officials of the agency nationwide.
According to Dizon, his courtesy resignation order will include all the undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, division heads, and district engineers of the agency nationwide. The DPWH Chief also said that he will abolish the internal investigation committee of the agency amid the flood control issue.
Dizon stressed that he does not believe that an agency can probe itself. Currently, both the Senate and the House of Representatives are investigating the flood control mess in the country. Pres. Bongbong Marcos also ordered the creation of the Independent Commission on Infrastructure or the ICI.
Following the order of Marcos Jr. for the review of the proposed budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways which is amounting to P881.3 billion, the DPWH slashed its proposed fund for 2026 by P255 billion. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the agency is now asking for a P625.8 billion budget for next year.
“[T]he Department has exerted its best efforts, within the very limited period allotted, to ensure that the issues raised in the previously submitted budget, such as the funding of completed and duplicate projects, are adequately addressed,” Dizon said.
Based on the report, in a letter address to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon suggested the reallocation of the P255 billion slashed from the proposed flood control funds of the agency to other sectors. He cited the education, information technology, agriculture, social welfare, labor, and healthcare sectors.
Previously, amid the issue, DPWH chief Vince Dizon said their next target is to return the billions of pesos corrupted through the flood control projects to the people.