Infra spending hits P136 B in May

The Marcos administration jacked up its infrastructure spending in May by more than 31 percent to P136 billion primarily to fund the construction of roads, bridges and other buildings, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

- LOUISE MAUREEN SIMEON

Based on the latest national government disbursement performance report of the DBM, state infrastructure expenditure and other capital outlays jumped by 31.4 percent to P136.4 billion in May from P103.8 billion in the same period last year.

The DBM attributed this mainly to the more significant disbursements of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the construction of roads, bridges, flood control structures, hospitals and multi-purpose buildings.

The growth of infrastructure outlays was also driven by the Department of National Defense via its Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

Development partners also made direct payments for the Department of Transportation’s South Commuter Railway Project.

For the first five months, infrastructure spending picked up by nearly 22 percent to P472.1 billion from P387.8 billion a year ago.