Congress should be excluded from gov't infra projects - Erwin Tulfo

The Congress should be excluded from the government’s infrastructure projects since its job is to create and amend laws, not craft the budget proposals, Senator Erwin Tulfo said Sunday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Tulfo said senators should, at best, relay the needed budget of mayors and other local government units to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“Dapat yung insertions, di na dapat trabaho ng mambabatas  Bigyan mo ng pondo yung DPWH, then the mayor will tell the senator na kelangan ng tulay. Then, the senator will write a letter to the DPWH para yung DPWH yung kokotact kay mayor,” Tulfo said.

(The lawmaker’s job is not to make budget insertions. Give funds to the DPWH. When a locality needs a bridge, for example, the mayor will relay it to the DPWH through a senator. The senator will write a letter to the DPWH so that the agency can contact the mayor.)

“Para wala ng pakielam ang mambabatas dahil ang mambabatas ang trabaho ay gumawa ng batas, hindi na siya yung tatao sa DPWH, siya pagpapabidding,” he added.

(This is to prevent lawmakers from meddling, since their job is to create measures, not to run the DPWH or handle project bidding.)

In a statement on Sunday, “almost all” the senators of the 19th Congress inserted at least P100 billion worth of items in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), said Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson. 

According to a “24 Oras” special report, budget insertions can be allegedly done at nearly every step of the national budget, from the National Expenditure Program (NEP), through a so-called "small committee,"  the Bicameral Conference Committee, and even at the bidding of government projects.

Former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo earlier linked Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero, former senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. and Nancy Binay, and Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co in the anomalous flood control projects.

The senators have denied Bernardo’s claims.

DPWH Provincial Engineering Office

Tulfo also proposed the creation of a DPWH provincial engineering office, as he agreed with the proposal to abolish the district engineering office.

“Tama po yun. Kailangan siguro pag-aralan ng mabuti para wala nang pakielaman ang congressman sa appointment ng mag district engineer,” Tulfo said.

(I agree to scrap the district engineering office. It needs to be carefully studied so that congressmen can no longer interfere with the district engineer’s appointment.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III earlier said the DPWH district offices should be abolished, and instead replaced with regional offices, to curb interference from politicians. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News