₱529.6 Billion Approved: Less Fat, Same Test for DPWH
After days of tense bicameral deliberations, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been granted a ₱529.6 billion budget for 2026, following ₱20.7 billion in reductions linked to previously overpriced construction materials.
Lawmakers say the savings came from applying updated Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD)—a correction that exposed how far declared costs had drifted from actual prices.
On paper, this looks like progress.
Overpricing trimmed.
Budgets adjusted.
Savings declared.
But the Eagle looks beyond the headline.
📖 “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” — Proverbs 11:1
The uncomfortable truth is this:
the savings only appeared after scrutiny.
For years, inflated costs passed through quietly—until Senate review forced recalibration. That alone raises the real question Filipinos should be asking:
If nobody checked, how much would have gone through again?
The approved ₱529.6 billion may now be “cleaner,” but money is only half the story. DPWH remains under public watch for:
Unready projects
Ghost flood-control works
Delays blamed on data gaps
And systems that reward spending speed over readiness
Funds were also reallocated—₱16.52 billion to PhilHealth and ₱4.25 billion to disaster risk reduction—showing that scrutiny can redirect money where it matters most.
Still, the lesson is clear:
Oversight works.
Silence doesn’t.
The Eagle does not oppose infrastructure spending.
Roads, bridges, and flood control save lives.
But every peso approved now carries a warning:
Spend it right—or answer for it later.
More For You:
