Pimentel questions DPWH's P544-B lump sum budget for 2023

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Sunday urged the Department of Public Works and Highways to be transparent about P544-billion lump sum appropriations lodged under its proposed budget for 2023.

“This is no small amount. The P544-billion lump sum funds is equivalent to 75 percent of the total appropriation of the DPWH for next year,” Pimentel said in a statement.

Based on the National Expenditures Program, DPWH is allocated P718.4 billion under the proposed P5.268 trillion for next year.

“In the spirit of transparency, I call on the DPWH to provide the details of this huge allocation, down to the last centavo, so the Senate and the public will be able to scrutinize it,” Pimentel said.

“Every peso in the budget should be disaggregated. Lumang tugtugin na ang pagtatago ng bilyun-bilyong lump sum. Let’s shun this practice,” he added.

Moreover, the Senator said that “lump-sum amounts are prone to abuse and discretion”, noting that lump-sum funds are mostly lodged under the agency’s central office.

“For Congress to allow lump-sum appropriation in the budget is tantamount to giving the executive a blanket authority to spend, in the case of DPWH, P544 billion at its own discretion,” Pimentel furthered.

SIPAG and BIP

Meanwhile, Pimentel said that of the P544 billion lump sum appropriation, P213.95 billion are for convergence and special support programs, which includes P104.82 billion for SIPAG or Sustainable Infrastructure Projects Alleviating Gap and P52.45 billion for BIP or Basic Infrastructure Program.

He said that SIPAG and BIP “seem to serve duplicative functions and have purposes” beyond the implementation of a national infrastructure program.

Of the P544 billion, P10.89 billion will go for widening of primary roads, P11.46 billion for secondary roads, and P6.52 billion for tertiary roads, according to the Senate minority chief.

Pimentel also said the lump sum fund includes P86.18 billion for asset preservation programs or road rehabilitation, reconstruction and upgrading.

Part of the amount, P9.19 billion, will go for preventive maintenance of primary roads, P12.44B for secondary roads, and P9.51B for maintenance of tertiary roads, he pointed out.

Further, Pimentel said that around P113.09B for the network development program, P21.09B will be for the bridge program, and P109B for flood management program.

“Saang distrito at barangay mapupunta itong bilyun-bilyong alokasyon?” he added.

Aside from violating the principle of transparency, Pimentel expressed alarm that such lump sum funds can be a source of pork barrel funds, which the Supreme Court had declared as unconstitutional in 2014.

“What I fear the most is it could be a rich source of pork barrel funds. That is why DPWH should disaggregate them and publicize the details immediately,” Pimentel stressed.

GMA News Online has sought comment from DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan for comment regarding the matter but has yet to respond as of press time. —LBG, GMA News