Marcos orders sweeping review of DPWH 2026 budget

MANILA, Philippines —  Saying Filipinos deserve transparency and efficiency, President Marcos has ordered a “sweeping review” of the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under his proposed spending program for next year, days after he disclosed that the outlay contains several insertions.

A review of the P880-billion proposed budget for the DPWH, which is under fire for alleged flood control project anomalies, would ensure that public funds are spent properly, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement yesterday.

“I have instructed DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to fully review the budget of the DPWH and make the necessary corrections for the NEP (National Expenditure Program) 2026. We owe the Filipino people transparency and efficiency,” Marcos was quoted in the PCO statement as saying.

The NEP refers to the budget prepared by the executive branch and submitted to Congress for approval. The Marcos administration is proposing a P6.793-trillion national budget for next year, 7.4 percent higher than this year’s P6.326-trillion outlay.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said that by ordering a “sweeping” review of the DPWH budget, Marcos aims to remove any duplication or unnecessary project funding insertion.

She cited the claims of House Deputy Speaker and Antipolo 1st district Rep. Ronaldo Puno and Marikina 1st district Rep. Marcy Teodoro that the 2026 NEP contains funding for completed public works projects.

“The DBM (Department of Budget and Management) and the DPWH will really scrutinize it. If there are duplications and insertions, they should be removed through errata,” the Palace press officer said at a briefing.

“The President emphasized that the review must lead to necessary changes to guarantee transparency, accountability and the proper use of the people’s money, ensuring that resources are directed toward infrastructure projects that genuinely serve and benefit the Filipino people,” she added.

At a media interview last Monday, Marcos, who had ordered an investigation on subpar and ghost flood mitigation projects, revealed that the expenditure program for 2026 has many insertions.

Independent commission

He made the revelation as he was explaining his decision to form an independent commission that would probe alleged irregularities surrounding public works.

“Unfortunately, the more we look, the more we find. Even in the 2026 budget, there are still many insertions... It really needs to be cleaned out properly,” the President said.

Marcos has ordered a lifestyle check on all officials and has urged Filipinos to report questionable projects in their area so that cases could be filed promptly against erring government personnel and contractors.

At the oath-taking of newly elected officials of the League of Provinces of the Philippines yesterday at Malacañang, President Marcos urged the local executives to perform their roles with integrity and to expose irregularities in government projects.

“Let us serve the nation with honesty. Let us ensure that the projects of the national and local governments are properly implemented and let us expose if we see something otherwise,” he said.

Pause on bidding

Meanwhile, Dizon said he has ordered a pause on all bidding for locally funded projects.

“Why am I ordering a pause? Because we need to review and study – based on the President’s directive to clean the house,” he said in remarks at ceremonies turning over the leadership of the Department of Transportation to acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez.

“The President does not want any more money of the government, of the DPWH, thrown sa ilog (in the river)… Those were his own words,” Dizon said.

“Foreign assisted projects will continue,” he emphasized.

Speaker Martin Romualdez, meanwhile, is being urged by some of his House colleagues and officials of different political parties to return the P6.793-trillion NEP to DBM to cleanse it of insertions.

“We cannot, in good conscience, begin deliberations on a national budget that is riddled with questionable allocations,” Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City Rep. Ronnie Puno said at a press conference.

“The House owes it to the Filipino people to ensure that every peso is allocated properly, transparently and free of corruption. At this point, the 2026 NEP falls short of that standard,” Puno, who also chairs the National Unity Party, said.

The same position was raised by Deputy Speakers Janette Garin and Bambi Emano and Reps. Mark Enverga, Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Manila Rep. Rolan Valeriano and Jose Alvarez.

In a statement, they said irregularities uncovered in numerous flood control and other infrastructure projects were not just “isolated mistakes” but were a reflection of “deeper flaws in the way the budget was crafted.”

“Before Congress can deliberate responsibly, the Executive must first correct and clean up these provisions,” they added.

Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon, for his part, said members of the House infrastructure committee which he heads would be required to sign a “general denial” of their business interest in flood control projects.

He said the move was in accordance with the approved motion of Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno and ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima.

“I believe we need to assure the public that this investigation will not be a whitewash,” Diokno said over radio dzBB.

“Conflict of interest here is not theoretical, it is not distant, it is real,” De Lima said. - Neil Jayson Servallos, Jose Rodel Clapano, Rainier Allan Ronda, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Marc Jayson Cayabyab