Dizon Open to Reducing DPWH Budget for 2026

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon has expressed openness to reducing the proposed P881.3-billion DPWH budget for 2026 as he vowed to review and correct questionable items flagged by lawmakers.

- By MARK ERNEST VILLEZA

Ahead of the DPWH budget briefing before the House appropriations committee, Dizon yesterday said he would ask for a week to scrutinize the agency's share in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

"The President ordered me to review this, and if we need to change the entire DPWH budget, I will do it and tell Congress," Dizon said. "I will ask for time, even just one week, to review, fix and, if necessary, reduce the budget."

House deputy speaker and Antipolo Rep. Ronaldo Puno earlier noted that the 2026 NEP included allocations for infrastructure projects already completed, while some continuing flood control projects did not receive funding.

Dizon admitted that the lawmakers' concerns were "valid" and assured them that these would be addressed.

"If it's completed, it should not be funded. There should be no double entries. That’s why I will ask time from the appropriations committee,” he said. “As much as possible, the red flags pointed out by Congress will be erased.”

Payments withheld

The DPWH has withheld payment to contractors, led by Wawao Builders and SYMS Construction Trading, with pending projects with the government.

During the hearing of the House committee on appropriations, Dizon told congressmen that he is conducting a meeting with the DPWH’s operations department to thresh out plans that would not leave the government at the losing end with the non-payment to those contractors that were perpetually disqualified by the agency earlier.

“I ordered to hold the payments to those companies if they are ongoing projects, but they have to finish the projects that are ongoing. We will talk in the operations department what will be our system, what we are going to do to continue the project,” Dizon said.

He said that for those completed projects which turned out to be “ghosts projects” and substandardly implemented, the only recourse of the government is to compel the contractors to pay for it.