Use savings from DPWH budget cut for college scholarships —Rep. Leviste

Part of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) proposed P880 billion budget for 2026 should be realigned to fund the Tulong Dunong program, a subsidy program for education-related expenses of students enrolled in private colleges and universities, Batangas Representative Leandro Leviste said.

Leviste made the suggestion during the recent budget hearing on Commission on Higher Education (CHED)’s proposed P33 billion budget for 2026, saying he will forgo budget items for roads in the first district of Batangas under the proposed DPWH budget in 2026, provided that it will be realigned to the Tulong Dunong Program. 

“If my own district would need around 300 million pesos to give every potential student a slot under the Tulong Dunong Program, and our district would have let’s say around P2 billion pesos of roads under the proposed DPWH budget for 2026, then perhaps we could fund extra slots for Tulong Dunong to every college student who is qualified to receive it in the 1st District of Batangas by reducing the unit cost of the roads of DPWH by 15%, without reducing the kilometers of roads that are being constructed in my district in 2026,” he said.

Earlier, President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said that there would be no budget for flood control projects in 2026 budget of the DPWH.

Marcos had said that there were still funds for flood control projects in 2025, which had not yet been utilized. 

The pronouncement also came on the heels of anomalies in the use of flood control funds since 2022.

Beneficiaries of the Tulong Dunong program receive P7,500 per semester or P15,000 per academic year. They should also be coming from a family with less than P400,000 combined household gross income, and should not be overstaying in the program. 

“By merely reducing the cost per kilometer by 15%, we can give every college student in my district a slot under the Tulong Dunong Program, provided they are qualified. So I would just like to ask if we can kindly make an amendment, at least in the 1st District of Batangas, if we can kindly reduce the unit costs of roads of the DPWH,” Leviste pointed out.

“This is a very good program, but at the moment, because of budgetary constraints, pinipili lang po natin ang mga beneficiaries sa program na ito. Mas marami din pong makikinabang kung automatic na lang po na lahat ng mga qualified na mga estudyante ay mabibigyan ng Tulong Dunong, budget permitting po, would you agree Madame Chair?” he added, addressing CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis.

Agrupis replied, “Kung may budget po, sino pang mag-hi-hindi na hindi matulungan ang mga nangangailangan na estudyante?.”

Leviste earlier filed House Bill 27 seeking a P1,000 monthly allowance for all students to cover each student’s expenses on food, transportation, and school supplies. —LDF, GMA Integrated News