The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has submitted a drastically revised budget for 2026, cutting more than P255 billion from its original proposal after addressing irregularities flagged in earlier deliberations.
According to a report from GMA News Online, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed that the department’s budget has been reduced from over P881 billion to P625.7 billion—nearly 29% lower than the original submission.
“The revised budget amounts to P625,784,508,000 which is P255,528,051,000 or 28.99% lower than the originally proposed P881,312,559,000 budget earlier submitted,” Dizon said.
He emphasized that the biggest adjustment was in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s order to remove all locally funded flood control projects, totaling about P252 billion. This decision came amid mounting concerns about questionable projects in the previous budget, including duplicate funding and allocations for already completed works.
Dizon added that President Marcos also recommended redirecting the savings to critical sectors such as agriculture, education, health care, housing, labor, social welfare, and information technology.
The revised budget, dated September 15, was officially transmitted to House Speaker Martin Romualdez through Appropriations Committee chairperson Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing.
Marcos earlier ordered a full investigation into the alleged anomalies in flood control projects. Both chambers of Congress, along with other government agencies, have since launched separate probes, with some projects already being exposed as nonexistent or “ghost projects.”
