Jamaine Punzalan

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., April 21, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

BALIKATAN 2025

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176007629771920250421-balikatan-2025-opening-ceremony-MT11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., April 21, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. on Friday expressed support for a proposal to transfer the management of funds for the Tatag ng Imprastruktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) Program from the Department of Public Works and Highways to the Department of National Defense or the AFP itself.During the Senate Committee on Finance’s deliberation of the DND’s proposed 2026 budget on Tuesday, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian flagged several unfinished military facilities under the TIKAS program. These projects were funded and managed by the DPWH for the military.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/9/gatchalian-eyes-lower-dpwh-budget-1831">Gatchalian eyes lower DPWH budget </a></div>Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. recommended that the incomplete projects be scrapped, explaining that some remained unfinished due to unsustained funding. He also supported Gatchalian’s proposal to transfer the funding for TIKAS to the DND starting in 2026.“Should the proposed transfer transpire, the DND shall ensure the judicious use of public funds, especially for the hardening of defense infrastructures aligned with our strategic basing and operational security requirements,” the DND said in a statement on Thursday.Brawner said he was “very much in favor” of allowing the AFP or the DND to directly manage and implement TIKAS projects.“Ngayon, kami lang ang recipient, ang end user, pero sa proposal na iyon, I am very much in favor of that,” Brawner told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.“Sa gayon, masiguro namin na walang magiging ghost projects at masiguro namin na talagang high quality ang projects. Pwedeng gawin ng ating AFP—Army, Air Force or Navy engineers. Aside from that, kung hindi kaya ng ating engineers sa AFP, sisiguraduhin namin na ang contractors na gagawa nito ay mahusay at properly ang pag-implement nito,” he added.Brawner said the DPWH handles the planning, bidding, implementation and inspection of TIKAS projects, while the AFP only serves as the end user.“Gusto ko lang liwanagin na ang TIKAS projects ay hindi nairerelease ang pondo sa AFP. Yung pondo ng TIKAS projects ay nairerelease sa DPWH. Ang DPWH is the one that does the planning, bidding and implementation of the projects. Kami sa AFP, kami ang nagsasabi kung ano ang kailangan namin—barracks, training facilities, opisina, at iba pang kailangan namin na infrastructure projects. So, we are the end user,” the military chief said.Brawner denied allegations of “ghost projects” under the TIKAS program. He said the AFP coordinates closely with the DPWH and carefully monitors ongoing construction.“Ang sinasabi nilang may ghost projects sa TIKAS ng AFP, sa tingin namin ay wala namang ghost projects, because once we give the DPWH our requirements, they come back to us with plans at nakikita namin mismo na ginagawa naman ito,” Brawner said.He went on, “Sa completion ng projects na sinasabi, may projects na malalaki like a 10-storey building sa headquarters ng Philippine Army, for instance. Hindi naman pwedeng matapos sa isang taon ang 10-storey. So, ang ginagawa ng DPWH is they divide it into phases: phases 1, 2,3 and so on. At the end of the year, ang pinoproklama na completed is for the phase only… hindi ang kabuuan ng proyekto.”“Yung pondo ay narelease sa DPWH. Sila lahat ang gumagawa, even sa pag-inspect ng projects—DPWH. Kami, once the project is completed, that’s the time they will turn it over to us. Kumpleto na ang project,” he said.The AFP has benefited from several completed TIKAS projects, including the grandstand in Camp Aguinaldo and facilities at the 4th Infantry Division headquarters in Cagayan de Oro.Brawner said the AFP would submit to the Senate a list of unfinished TIKAS projects. He also appealed to the DPWH to expedite their completion. “Sana ay tapusin nila ang TIKAS projects na hindi pa natatapos. Mahalaga ang mga proyektong ito hindi lang sa pag-administer natin ng affairs ng AFP but ito ay mga barracks, training facilities na talagang kailangang-kailangan natin,” the AFP chief said.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/10/-pinagkakakitaan-dpwh-indefinitely-suspends-road-reblocking-0914">DPWH indefinitely suspends road reblocking activities</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/9/dpwh-uncovers-421-ghost-projects-out-of-8-000-inspected-1030">DPWH uncovers 421 ghost projects out of 8, 000 inspected</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/9/ici-urges-dpwh-to-reduce-levels-of-authority-for-civil-works-in-district-regional-offices-1038">ICI urges DPWH to reduce levels of authority for civil works</a></div>

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. on Friday expressed support for a proposal to transfer the management of funds for the TIKAS Program from the Department of Public Works and Highways to the Department of National Defense or the AFP itself.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. on Friday expressed support for a proposal to transfer the management of funds for the TIKAS Program from the Department of Public Works and Highways to the Department of National Defense or the AFP itself.

Brawner backs transfer of TIKAS Program funds from DPWH to military or defense department

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Brawner backs transfer of TIKAS Program funds from DPWH to military or defense department

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 10, 2025 02:09 PM PHT

Read More:

Armed Forces of the Philippines

General Romeo Brawner Jr. TIKAS projects

Department of Public Works and Highways

Department of National Defense

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.