DPWH cuts over P255B in 2026 proposed budget after review

The 2026 proposed budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was cut from over P881 billion to over P625 billion after a review—removing around P255 billion. 

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the department scrapped all locally funded flood control projects and addressed the issues raised in the initial version of the budget, such as the funding of completed and duplicate projects.

“The revised budget amounts to P625,784,508,000 which is P255,528,051,000 or 28.99% lower than the originally proposed P881,312,559,000 budget earlier submitted,” Dizon said. 

“The main highlight of this revision is the President's directive to remove all locally funded flood control projects amounting to P252 billion,” he added.

Dizon also said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recommended for Congress to transfer the P255 saved budget to programs and projects in Agriculture, Education, Health Care, Housing, Labor, Social Welfare, and Information Technology sectors. 

Based on the document dated September 15, Dizon submitted the revised version of the budget to House Speaker Martin Romualdez through Committee on Appropriations chairperson Representative Mikaela Angela Suansing. 

Marcos has called for an investigation into anomalous flood control projects. 

READ: How are funds inserted in flood control projects?

Several government agencies, as well as the Senate and the House of Representatives, have launched their respective investigations.

Some flood control projects were found to be ghost projects. —VAL, GMA Integrated News