Solons flag 2026 NEP infra projects for having exact same amounts

Senators Erwin Tulfo and Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday flagged some infrastructure projects under the proposed 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) for having identical allotments.

At the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) briefing, Tulfo questioned 13 flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the provinces of Antique and Iloilo for amounting exactly to P149.750 million each.

“We want to raise what is either a serious lapse in judgment or deliberate maneuver in the 2026 NEP. Nakita namin na may tila flood control projects sa Antique and Iloilo, same amount P149 million each…Pare-pareha ang halaga hanggang sa huling piso,” the senator said. 

(“We want to raise what is either a serious lapse in judgment or deliberate maneuver in the 2026 NEP. We saw there were flood control projects in Antique and Iloilo amounting to P149 million each. They have the exact amount down to the last peso.)

“Hindi po ba dapat iba-iba ang costing depending on the terrain, material, and scope of work?” he continued. 

(Shouldn’t it be that costs vary depending on the terrain, material, and scope of work of the project?)

According to Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, it is part of the DPWH’s mandate to request and finalize their proposed funding, citing the Dept. of Budget and Management’s (DBM) lack of manpower to verify the projects and their respective expenditures.

Pangandaman, however, said newly-minted DPWH chief Vince Dizon was already tasked to check the agency’s budget and investigate the projects.

“Nag-usap na po kami ng bagong kalihim ng DPWH at pinapa-check na sa kaniya isa-isa itong mga proyekto — kung paano ipinasok ng mga taga-DPWH at ano ang ginamit na formula at pano na identify ang mga proyekto na pinropose nila sa NEP,” she added.

(DPWH Secretary Dizon and I talked earlier and he was asked to check these projects — how they were inserted into the budget,  their identification, and what was the formula used.)

More flood control projects

Likewise, Senator Panfilo Lacson flagged over 400 flood control projects for Metro Manila and Ilocos Region worth P51.82 billion under the 2026 NEP for having the exact expenditures. Of the figures, 88 items amounted to P150 million each; 373 amounting to P100 million each; and 11 items were worth P120 million each.  

“Kapag ang mga contractors have embedded the House of Representatives and congressmen have embedded the construction business, ito ang outcome,” said Lacson. 

(Once contractors have embedded the House of Representatives and congressmen have embedded the construction business, this is the outcome.)

“NEP pa lang pinapayagan na ng DPWH to make insertions. Ang tama nito sa atin hindi isang whammy, hindi double whammy, hindi triple whammy — quadruple whammy,” he added. 

(The DPWH allowed them to make insertions in the NEP and the effect of that on us is not only a whammy, double whammy, or triple whammy but a quadruple whammy.)

The senator proposed holding an executive session with the DBM and the DPWH to delete and realign the budget for the projects. 

Senator Bam Aquino, for his part, suggested the Senate return the proposed DPWH budget to the agency in light of its new leadership and ongoing investigations into the “ghost” projects.

“Ang napag-usapan namin ni Sec. Dizon, they will check each and every line item ng mga projects and programs and they will provide a report. 'Yung mga kinakailangan palitan, okay sya, papalitan nila in a form of department amendment,” Pangandaman  responded.

(Based on my discussion with Sec. DIzon, they will check each and every line item of the projects and programs and they will provide a report. Those that needed to be changed will be changed in a form of department amendment.)

“At the same time, pwede niyo rin naman po bawasan ang level ng DPWH,” Pangandaman added. 

(At the same time, the Congress can also decrease the level of the DPWH.)

The DBM is proposing P6.793 trillion for the government’s national budget for 2026. — RF, GMA Integrated News