Senate postpones bicam over 'deadlock' on DPWH 2026 budget —Gatchalian

The Senate on Monday postponed the third day of the bicameral conference committee meeting on the proposed 2026 national budget over a "deadlock" on the allocation of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate finance committee, made the announcement as he stood firm that the upper chamber is against the use of overpriced construction materials for government infrastructure projects in 2026.

"After the caucus, ang sabi namin i-postpone muna ang bicam today para ma-resolba ang issue with the House and the DPWH,'' Gatchalian told reporters.

(After the caucus, we decided to postpone the bicam today to resolve the issues with the House and the DPWH.)

"At least sa side ng Senate. Tinawagan ko ang ating counterpart at sinabi ko ang desisyon ng Senado. Ang Senado kasi ay very firm, ayaw namin ng overpriced items," he said.

(That's our decision at least from the Senate side. I called my counterpart and informed him of our decision. The Senate is very firm against overpriced items.)

The Senate earlier slashed the DPWH’s proposed 2026 budget to P570.48 billion from P624.48 billion in the House of Representatives’ version

Gatchalian explained the adjustment on the prices of the materials was based on the Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD) the DPWH submitted to the Senate, which yielded reductions of around P45 billion in the agency's proposed budget.

"Ang nagiging issue lang ngayon, 'yung adjustment factor, sinasabi ng DPWH baka hindi pwedeng i-apply dahil iba-iba ang situation sa iba't ibang proyekto," the lawmaker said.

(The issue is the DPWH is now saying the adjustment factor may not be applicable to all projects.)

Over the weekend, the DPWH appealed to the Senate to restore amounts deducted from the agency’s proposed 2026 budget due to reductions based on the CMPD.

"We can call it a deadlock on that aspect pero naghahanap tayo ng solution. Ako, committed ako maghanap ng solution. Sabi ko nga, makikipagtrabaho ako with DPWH, para makita natin kung ano ang solution," Gatchalian said.

(We can call it a deadlock on that aspect but we're finding a solution. I am committed to finding a solution. I am open to working with the DPWH.)

"Ang gusto natin to move forward. I am open to working with the House and the DPWH," the senator said.

(We want to move forward. I am open to working with the House and the DPWH.)

The bicameral conference committee convened on Saturday to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026.

Senate firm on DPWH budget cut –Sotto

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III echoed Gatchalian's remarks, saying the Senate will push for the reduced DPWH allocation under the 2026 national budget.

"Meron na kaming usapan kung paano ang gagawin dun, bahala na si Sen. Gatchalian. Siya ang Chairman ng Finance eh, bini-brief niya kami, kung ano ang nangyayari," said Sotto.

(We already discussed it with Sen. Gatchalian. He is briefing us on the developments.)

Sotto also came in defense of the hiking of the budget for the Department of Health Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (DOH-MAIFIP) program, saying the increase in its funding is targeted to allow indigent patients to avail the program in private hospitals.

"Ang plano dito sa MAIFIP, i-allow ito sa mga private hospitals para pwede mag-private hospital ang mga indigent patients, lahat ng mahihirap, ma-accommodate sa mga private hospitals," he said.

(The plan is to expand the MAIFIP to allow indigent patients to avail the program in private hospitals.)

''Hindi yan pork barrel. Hindi namin i-aallow magkaroon, MAIFP, pork barrel, medical assistance, diretso. Hanggang maaari nga aalisin namin ng guarantee letters, diretso sa DOH at diretso sa PhilHealth ang funding," Sotto added.

(It's not por barrel. We will not allow that. We want to eliminate the GLs and disburse the funding directly to DOH and PhilHealth.)

The bicameral conference committee convened on Saturday to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026.

Earlier, the bicam approved increasing the budget for the MAIFIP program to P51 billion for 2026 following an appeal from the House panel to restore its proposed P49-billion allocation — higher than the P24.2 billion budget under the National Expenditure Program. —AOL/NB, GMA Integrated News