Palace: As DBM checks DPWH budget, other agencies should review own proposals

Malacañang said Thursday it would be better if agencies other than the embattled Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) conduct reviews on their own budget proposals to ensure that these do not contain questionable allocations. 

During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked if there would be a sweeping review of the budget of other agencies following the directive of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to review the latter's proposed budget. 

"Siguro sa ganitong klase na nakikita, mas maganda rin na ang ibang mga ahensya, tingnan din nila kung ano 'yung nai-report nila at baka nga mayroong naisingit sa proposal nila na hindi na dapat maisingit," Castro said. 

(It would be better if other agencies will also look and check their own budget proposals as there might be insertions that shouldn't be included.) 

Informing the President

Castro was also asked about the remarks of House Deputy Speaker and Antipolo Representative Ronaldo Puno that there were also questionable allocations in the proposed budgets of the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, and the Department of Health. 

The Palace official said it would be better if the information reached the President. 

"Iyong mga detalye po dito mas maganda po talagang iparating sa Pangulo dahil paminsan-minsan po, 'pag sinabi lamang po at walang detalye, mahirap po kasi agad na mag-judge," Castro said.

(The President should be informed about these details because sometimes, it's difficult to judge if there are no details provided.) 

"So, kaya nga po nagbigay na rin po ng utos si Pangulong Marcos Jr. sa DBM at sa DPWH para tingnan mabuti, evaluate kung ano ba iyong nangyari sa 2026 NEP at ayusin ang dapat ayusin," she added. 

(That's why President Marcos Jr. directed the DBM and the DPWH to check what happened with the 2026 NEP and fix what needs to be fixed.) 

Correcting errors

Meanwhile, Castro said fixing erroneous entries in the 2026 National Expenditure Program could be done through errata. 

"Kasi nakausap din po natin ang DBM, at ayon sa kanilang legal department, kailangan po talaga na errata, through errata sheets lang po," Castro said.

(We've talked to the DBM and according to its legal department, it can be done through errata sheets.) 

"Hindi na po kinakailangang ibalik po ito sa Presidente or sa DBM dahil naipasa na po ito sa Kongreso. So, iyon po talaga ang dapat na proseso," she added. 

(We don't need to return the NEP to the President or to the DBM because we already submitted this to Congress. That's the process.) 

Earlier, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and Public Works and Highways Vince Dizon committed to a two-week timeline to review the proposed P880-billion budget of the DPWH—which is under the spotlight for alleged anomalous flood control projects.

Leaders of the House of Representatives on Wednesday said they would move for the return of the proposed P6.7-trillion budget for 2026 to the DBM over erroneous entries.

However, the lower chamber decided to hold off plans to return the proposed budget following a meeting of House leaders on Wednesday night. — VDV, GMA Integrated News