Manila, Philippines — A heated exchange unfolded at the House on Wednesday after Marikina 2nd District Rep. Miro Quimbo raised concerns over a massive ₱289 billion increase in the 2025 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Quimbo said the DPWH’s budget mysteriously ballooned from ₱825 billion to ₱1.113 trillion after passing through the bicameral conference committee (bicam).
“Pag-alis sa amin, ₱825 billion. Pero pagkatapos ng Senate at bicam, naging ₱1.113 trillion. Tama ba? Nangyari ‘yan sa bicam?” Quimbo asked DPWH officials.
DPWH Undersecretary Alex Bote did not deny it. “That’s on record,” he admitted.
Transparency Push
Quimbo stressed that the “insertions” happened in the bicam, not in the House’s small committee. He then challenged the DPWH to make every single budget amendment public.
“Pwede bang lahat ng pagbabago diyan i-identify at isapubliko? Okay ba kayo doon?” he asked DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon.
Dizon agreed, saying: “Tingin ko magandang idea po ‘yun.”
Quimbo pressed further, urging DPWH not to fear revealing the names of lawmakers pushing for additions.
“Dapat isapubliko ‘yan. Kapag may gustong magdagdag, ilagay niyo ang pangalan, para ipagtanggol nila ang insertion na ‘yun.”
Abolishing the ‘Small Committee’
House Appropriations Chair Rep. Mikaela Suansing added that the controversial “small committee” has already been scrapped and replaced with a budget amendments review sub-committee.
“Ngayon po, lahat transparent na. Makikita na po ang lahat ng dinideliberate na amendments at babaguhin,” she said.
Cuts in 2026 Budget
Interestingly, while the 2025 DPWH budget swelled, its 2026 proposal was cut.
From an initial ₱881 billion, the agency’s allocation was trimmed down to ₱625 billion—a ₱255 billion reduction.
Dizon explained that flood control projects with duplications or irregularities were scrapped. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also recommended that the savings be redirected to agriculture, education, health care, housing, labor, social welfare, and IT programs.
