DBM eyes 'menu system' for infra, flood projects to fight issues on insertions

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is pushing for a nationwide “menu” of pre-identified infrastructure projects starting with flood mitigation programs to solve issues regarding budget insertions.

In a radio interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Tuesday, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman explained that creating a menu of pre-approved infrastructure projects across the country would allow agencies and lawmakers to choose from a list of thoroughly evaluated proposals. 

These projects, she said, are already aligned with national priorities and available funding under the President’s budget or the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

“Ang naisip po sana namin na maganda ay magkaroon kami ng menu ng mga proyekto sa buong Pilipinas. Kung kaya namin kaagad, kunyari sa flood control and water management, makapag-identify kami ng sampu. Kunwari po, tapos napondohan namin sa President's budget o kaya sa NEP, kung sa tingin nila hindi yan priority pa ngayon, pwede sila tumingin sa ibang menu na meron kami," said Pangandaman.

(What we’re thinking of doing is creating a menu of projects across the Philippines. If we can immediately identify, say, ten flood control and water management projects and fund them in the President’s budget or the NEP, and if lawmakers think those aren’t a current priority, they can look at other projects on our menu.)

She also said that the government is working toward a more "coordinated and data-driven approach" in allocating funds, particularly for flood mitigation projects. 

"'Di lang yan one-size-fits-all na solusyon. Marami pwedeng solusyon na gawin depende sa lugar at area," said Pangandaman. 

(Flood mitigation isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. There are many possible approaches depending on the location and area.)

Pangandaman added that the DBM has already incorporated this principle into the national budget process, ensuring that agencies are involved in project planning to maximize efficiency.

“Para makatipid tayo sa pondo, tsaka to ensure na tama yung pagpa-plano. Nilagay natin yan sa budget, lahat ng ahensya may stake doon at gagawin ang proyekto," she added. 

(To save funds and ensure proper planning, we included this in the budget. All agencies have a stake in it and will implement the project.)

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in July approved the P6.793-trillion NEP for Fiscal Year 2026. 

Pangandaman said the President himself sat down with the different agencies to ensure that all the priorities are aligned towards the common goal of achieving the vision of a Bagong Pilipinas.

Vetting

Pangandaman, meanwhile, made clear that projects inserted into the budget outside the official process, such as those coming from lawmakers, will not be considered if they were not technically vetted.

“Hindi po, hindi po namin maco-consider yung tinatawag na insertion kasi hindi kasama yon sa napag-aralan namin," she said.

(No, we cannot consider what's called an insertion because it’s not part of what we have studied.)

She also warned that bypassing this system by inserting unstudied projects risks wasting time, money, and resources.

“Pero sana po hindi po manggaling sa hindi napag-aralan, yung basta lang po inilagay doon, kasi masasayang yung napaghandaan namin na menu na iyon," she added. 

(But hopefully, it doesn’t come from something unstudied—just added there—because it would waste the planned and prepared project menu we worked on.)

From 2023 to 2025, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) received around P980.25 billion for flood control initiatives—an average of P326.75 billion annually—according to GMA Integrated News Research.

In his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the DPWH to submit a complete list of all flood control projects, both completed and ongoing, to evaluate delays and flag possible ghost projects.

DPWH Secretary Manuel “Manny” Bonoan has since admitted that the agency lacks a monitoring system for some flood control initiatives—particularly those inserted by lawmakers without undergoing technical review. —Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News