Bicameral budget talks hit deadlock on DPWH funding

THE SENATE and House of Representatives canceled Monday’s scheduled bicameral conference committee meeting after lawmakers deadlocked over whether to restore funding for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, amid lingering concerns over corruption in flood control projects.

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Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Finance committee, described the issue as “deadlocked” but said the chamber remains open to compromise.

“The House had a different opinion. We had a different opinion,” he told reporters, adding that the Senate is reviewing DPWH Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon’s appeal to reverse a P45-billion cut in the agency’s proposed budget. “This is a very technical issue, and it will take time to talk with DPWH.”

Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing, who heads the House Appropriations Committee, said no new bicameral meeting had been scheduled, urging lawmakers to act quickly to avoid a reenacted budget for 2026.

She warned that roughly 9,900 infrastructure projects totaling P406 billion could be affected if the cut is retained. “If we assume that 25% of these projects will become unimplementable, that’s already P101 billion wasted,” she said.