Camille Naredo

DPWH Secretary Vince B. Dizon hold a press conference at the Department of Budget and Management headquarters in Manila on September 3, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman and newly appointed DPWH Secretary Vince B. Dizon hold a press conference at the Department of Budget and Management headquarters in Manila on September 3, 2025. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed both agencies to conduct an extensive review of the DPWH budget under the proposed 2026 National Expenditure Program to ensure transparency, accountability, and the efficient use of infrastructure funds. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN Newsuntability, and maximizing the efficient use of infrastructure funds. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

NEP- DBM- DPWH

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176571220957220250903-dbm-dpwh-presscon-pangandaman-dizon-MT7 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="DPWH Secretary Vince B. Dizon hold a press conference at the Department of Budget and Management headquarters in Manila on September 3, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">DPWH Secretary Vince B. Dizon hold a press conference at the Department of Budget and Management headquarters in Manila on September 3, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Senators and congressmen in the bicameral conference committee on the 2026 budget began the second day of deliberations by wrangling over the request of the Department of Public Works and Highways to reverse the cuts made by the Senate to the House version of the agency budget.</p><p>This, despite the DPWH&#x27;s own admission that their projects were overpriced.</p><p>Senators were insisting on their cuts, which congressmen believe -- if implemented -- would make as many as 10,000 projects worth an estimated P400-B unimplementable.</p><p>The conflict stems from the revised construction materials price data (CMPD) reduction, which the agency submitted to the Senate and which that chamber used as basis for their cut.</p><p>The House countered that the Senate erred in applying the reductions across the board.</p><p>DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon insists that the CMPD must be applied on a per project basis, citing that the costs of construction materials varies according to location.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/14/bicam-to-cut-dpwh-budget-dizon-appeals-0736">READ: Bicam to cut DPWH budget; Dizon appeals</a></div><p>&quot;The argument before us now is … &#x27;pag ito &#x27;yung na-adapt, baka may mga projects na hindi matapos ng maayos,&quot; said Sen. Pia Cayetano. &quot;&#x27;Di ba may phase 2 naman? Pwede naman ituloy?&quot;</p><p>Dizon explained that if the project cost is cut too much, no contractor may bid for the project, though the agency has the option of modifying the project to make it implementable.</p><p>He also acknowledged that the issue has become a matter of trust, but insisted that restoring the House version&#x27;s figures does not mean the overprice is being restored as well.</p><p>&quot;Binaba na po ng DPWH, dahil sa direktiba ng pangulo, ang presyo ng mga materyales,&quot; he explained. &quot;Ang question na lang po dito is papaano po ia-apply &#x27;yung pagbaba ng presyo sa bawat isa sa mahigait 10,000 proyekto na ibababa sa Senate version.&quot;</p><p>Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian urged Duzon to implement the lower cost in the budget now, but Dizon explained that it would be physically impossible.</p><p>Meanwhile, House Appropriations Committee Chair Mikaela Suansing maintained that while there is no problem with the DPWH&#x27;s data, it is the Senate&#x27;s appreciation and application of the DPWH data that is problematic.</p><p>Suansing says that costs vary according to location, and the ratio of the CMPD to the project cost varies while the Senate adjusted the total project cost.</p><p>Gatchalian, however, stood by the Senate&#x27;s decision and their basis, and got Dizon to explain that the affected projects would still be implementable if modified by the agency within the budget the Senate authorized.</p><p>Senator Loren Legarda, for her part, admitted that they in the Senate simply do not trust some of the DPWH&#x27;s personnel not to misuse the funds, especially with a budget that the agency itself admits is overpriced.</p><p>Dizon explained that the DPWH already issued a department order with penal provisions, even as he conceded that it is an issue of trust and that the agency has zero trust. Dizon explained there can be no procurement unless the prices go down to the levels where they are supposed to be.</p><p>The 2nd day of the bicam began almost three hours late after the first day ended past midnight Sunday morning, and after a caucus of the Senate panel with Senate leaders to discuss, among other matters, the bicameral panel&#x27;s approval of the increases to the budgets of the farm-to-market roads and medical assistance to indigent and financially incapacitated patients.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F6QLFgo5kKo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon on Sunday faced the Bicameral Conference Committee on the 2026 Budget, and explained their agency's request to reverse the cuts made by the Senate to their budget.</p>

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon on Sunday faced the Bicameral Conference Committee on the 2026 Budget, and explained their agency's request to reverse the cuts made by the Senate to their budget.

Senators, congressmen wrangle over DPWH cuts to Senate budget

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Senators, congressmen wrangle over DPWH cuts to Senate budget

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 14, 2025 07:39 PM PHT

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Updated December 14, 2025 11:00 PM PHT

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Department of Public Works and Highways

DPWH

Vince Dizon

bicam

Bicameral Conference Committee

2026 budget

Philippine Senate

House of Representatives

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