Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Darylle Sarmiento

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759206459687cropped-photo-collage.png.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Rep. Leila De Lima questioned the uniformity, suggesting it could be linked to the proliferation of so-called “ghost projects” under the DPWH&#x27;s flood control program. Maria Tan and Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA— Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima on Tuesday raised concerns over the identical P50 million budget allocations across regions and legislative districts for a multiple building project. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/23/nbi-recommends-charges-vs-villanueva-estrada-co-over-alcantara-s-kickback-claims-1555">NBI recommends charges vs Villanueva, Estrada, Co over Alcantara’s kickback claims</a></div><p>“Bakit po ganun? Ganun ba talaga ang mga project cost ng kada multipurpose building sa mga areas na ‘to?” De Lima asked during the budget deliberations for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at the House of Representatives.</p><p>“Lahat po nito P50 million for each of these multipurpose buildings across various regions. To me, these are... parang red flags for me ito eh,&quot; she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/25/senators-call-out-dbm-s-instant-release-of-funds-for-alleged-zaldy-co-insertions-1531">Senators call out DBM&#x27;s &#x27;instant&#x27; release of funds for alleged Zaldy Co insertions</a></div><p>De Lima questioned the uniformity, suggesting it could be linked to the proliferation of so-called “ghost projects” under the agency&#x27;s flood control program.</p><p>“I say that these could be red flags kasi di ba ganun din ho sa mga flood control projects na mga inalis na po?”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;STANDARD DESIGN&#x27;</strong></div><div> </div><p>In response, Surigao del Sur 1st Distric Rep. Romeo Momo Sr., who is the budget sponsor for the DPWH, explained that the uniform allocation stems from the agency’s adherence to a standard design, which determines the project cost.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/25/malversation-indirect-bribery-charges-eyed-over-ex-dpwh-exec-s-kickback-allegations-1552">Malversation, indirect bribery charges eyed over ex-DPWH exec’s kickback allegations</a></div><p>“Yes po, there are identical or almost the same amount ang nakalagay... Kasi ho, may standard design sila halos pare-pareho lang yun,&quot; explained Momo.</p><p>De Lima, however, remained critical, noting that the agency appeared to be presenting the allocations merely to satisfy project proposal requirements without sufficient grounding.</p><p>But Momo reiterated that the DPWH’s standardized designs account for the identical multipurpose budget figures, emphasizing that the costing is consistent with the agency’s design protocols.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><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/n7mLglVpiBs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/zgY97_qYe3Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Rep. Leila De Lima questioned the uniformity, suggesting it could be linked to the proliferation of so-called “ghost projects” under the DPWH.</p>

Rep. Leila De Lima questioned the uniformity, suggesting it could be linked to the proliferation of so-called “ghost projects” under the DPWH.

'Parang red flag': Lawmaker questions 'uniform' P50-M cost of multipurpose building across regions

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'Parang red flag': Lawmaker questions 'uniform' P50-M cost of multipurpose building across regions

Darylle Sarmiento,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 30, 2025 12:29 PM PHT

Read More:

multipurpose

ghost projects

flood control

uniformity

DPWH

Leila de Lima

budget hearing

2026 budget

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