Jamaine Punzalan

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon and Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian inspect the ongoing drainage and road rehabilitation works along T. Santiago Street near MacArthur Highway on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

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/178772928436820260310-dpwh-drainage-rehabilitation-valenzuela-MT10 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon and Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian inspect the ongoing drainage and road rehabilitation works along T. Santiago Street near MacArthur Highway on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Public Works and Highways seeks P83.84 billion for locally funded flood control projects next year, with its chief, Secretary Vince Dizon saying Wednesday that the proposed 2027 budget contains no “leadership funds”.</p><p>Former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan previously said “leadership funds” were meant to accommodate priority projects of senators in the 2025 budget. But senators have denied the discretionary allocations, while stressing that budget amendments are part of the process.</p><p>For 2026, locally funded flood control projects received zero allocation, following controversies in the implementation of a number of past programs.</p><p>The budget for locally funded flood mitigation programs is proposed to be restored for 2027, but Dizon said their agency imposed “stringent project requirements” for inclusion in the budget proposal. </p><p>“Ang projects namin dito ay based on need, at… kailangan kumpleto ang requirements. Kung wala ‘yung limang requirements na ipinakita ko kanina, hindi pwedeng ipasok sa budget ‘yun,” Dizon said.</p><p>“Actually lahat ng mga ginagawa namin ngayon, we consult with<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/8/25/project-noah-system-to-forecast-potential-flooded-areas-a-day-in-advance-1626"> Project NOAH</a>. Those projects that we put in here are really in flood-prone areas. Ang problema lang talaga marami kaming kailangan ayusin na mga napag-iwanan nitong mga pambababoy nitong mga project all over the country, especially in <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/26/bulacan-governor-explains-remark-on-more-than-40-b-flood-control-projects-0111">Bulacan</a>,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/26/bulacan-governor-explains-remark-on-more-than-40-b-flood-control-projects-0111">Bulacan governor explains remark on more than ₱40-B flood control projects </a></div><p>The DPWH’s project requirements include approved program of works, validated geo-tagged photos, budget preparation 202 compliance, certificate of implementability, and masterplan or feasibility study or its equivalent local plans, endorsement or certification from the regional development councils or local development councils, or certificate of non-objection.</p><p>“Lahat po ng proyekto na nakapaloob dito sa National Expenditure Program natin ay dapat mayroong approved program of work. Ito po ‘yung kabilin-bilinan ng ating Pangulo. Dahil nga po siya mismo nakita niya for himself na noong nag-inspect siya ng mga iba&#x27;t ibang proyekto, madalas po ‘pag humihingi siya ng plano, wala pong ma-produce na plano ang DPWH. At ito po ay nasa level na ng implementation,” Dizon said.</p><p>“Dati po, and I think we have all seen this in the height of the flood control scandal, madalas po sa mga geotagging na nangyari o mga coordinates na nangyari, pagdating po sa planning stage, meaning sa pagpasok po ng mga proyekto sa budget, either wala pong coordinates or kung mayroon man, ito po ay tinatawag nating tabletop coordinates na. Meaning, ini-Google Maps tapos in-upload po. At marami pa po sa mga proyekto, wala, nitong nakaraan,” the official said. </p><p>“Ngayon po, dito sa mga proyektong pinasok natin sa National Expenditure Program, required po ang geotagged photos on-site… So hindi na po pwede ‘yung nasa opisina lang po sila. Google Maps sila at i-lalagay nila kung saan saan na lang. Hindi na po pwede yun. The project engineers, the district engineers, the planning engineers need to go on site and photograph the site with the coordinates attached automatically to the photos.” </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/11/marcos-more-work-to-be-done-in-flood-control-1237">Marcos: More work to be done in flood control </a></div><p>Justifying the other requirements, Dizon said, “Kailangan po ng certificate na sinasabi na walang right-of-way issue. Kasi madalas po ang napansin namin nung kami po ay pumasok late last year, na marami pong mga proyekto ay nare-render unimplementable dahil po nilalagay ang proyekto sa budget na hindi pa po secure ang right-of-way o walang kasigurahan na makukuha ang right-of-way within the implementation period of the project.” </p><p>“Ang nakita naming naging malaking problema sa proyektong nababoy ay una, yan ay hindi naging base sa either isang existing river basin masterplan, isang feasibility study o drainage master plan ng LGU,” he added.</p><p>Dizon said the DPWH would focused on “finishing unfinished flood mitigation projects”, but one challenge is when the project is subject of a probe by investigating bodies.</p><p>“Nakakalungkot po talaga, marami sa mga nasangkot, nadamay sa flood control scandal ay unfinished. Halos lahat ay unfinished. Ang problema dyan, kapag ang isang dike ay unfinished, mayroon ‘yang butas… ‘pag tinamaan ng baha ‘yan, sigurado 100 percent, kahit hindi pa substandard ‘yan, kahit maayos pa ang pagkagawa niyan, kung ‘yan ay may butas, ‘yan ay masisira,” Dizon said. </p><p>“Tali po ang kamay namin sa DPWH, dahil marami sa mga may gap din ay subject ng investigations ng iba’t ibang ahensya tulad ng Ombudsman, DOJ at COA. At pag subject ng investigation, hindi natin basta-basta nalang mapapagawa ang mga proyektong iyan,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/8/25/project-noah-system-to-forecast-potential-flooded-areas-a-day-in-advance-1626">Project NOAH system to forecast potential flooded areas a day in advance </a></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/9PYVDanf1RQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>FOREIGN-ASSISTED FLOOD MITIGATION </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Apart from the proposed P83.84 billion for locally funded flood control projects, the DPWH also seeks P19.6 billion for foreign assisted flood mitigation programs under the 2027 National Expenditure Program. </p><p>The proposed spending plan also allocates P3.4 billion for MMDA’s flood control programs. </p><p>These bring the total proposed budget for flood control in the 2027 NEP to 107 billion.</p><p>Dizon prefers to use “flood mitigation or flood management” over “flood control” in describing the said projects.</p><p>“We will try not to use the word flood control anymore. We have had a lot of conversations po with the experts, specifically Project NOAH. We agree with them that we need to use better terminology, because words matter, and terms matter and it’s really about flood mitigation or flood management. Kasi ‘yung control it sends a wrong message, kasi hindi naman natin talaga mako-control ang pagbaha eh,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/8/17/monsoon-rains-flood-manila-homes-submerge-roads-in-northern-philippines-1909">Monsoon rains flood Manila homes, submerge roads in northern Philippines </a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PROPOSED DPWH BUDGET</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The total proposed 2027 budget for DPWH is P643.95 billion.</p><p>During the agency’s budget hearing before the House Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday, Dizon said among their basis for the budget allocations include finishing unfinished projects, repair and maintenance of critical infrastructure, and the immediate needs of the communities.</p><p>He added that strict project evaluation was also implemented.</p><p>“‘Yung pagsisigurado po halimbawa na mayroong mga plano lahat ng mga project. Hindi po tulad ng dati, na madalas ang nangyayari, project title lang po at cost ang pumapasok sa NEP. Marami po dyan walang mga plano, wala pong mga FS, hindi po base sa mga existing master plans natin,” Dizon said. </p><p>“Ikalawa po, we are improving project information and traceability. I-u-upload po namin, hindi lang po ‘yung mga project titles na nandito sa NEP, kundi i-upload din po namin lahat po ng supporting documents ng lahat ng mga project na nakapaloob sa NEP para po makita hindi lamang ng ating honorable committee, pero makita din po ng buong publiko. At ikatlo po, very very strict po tayo ngayon sa mga mandatory documentary requirements,” he said.</p><p>DPWH proposes a total of 11,395 infrastructure projects for next year, lower than the 17,861 projects for 2026, the 25,301 projects for 2025, 25,545 projects for 2024, and 22,836 for 2023.</p><p>“Typically po, ang average projects ng DPWH ay umaabot ng mahigit 20,000 projects… Ngayon po, talagang nagsumikap kami na talagang ibaba po ang number of projects namin... We really tried our best to eliminate all duplicate projects, and all overlapping projects,” Dizon said. </p><p>“We really wanted to focus on the big ticket projects, and bring down the number of small ticket projects. For the BIP program, of course this is still, we leave it to the wisdom of the committee, but BBM mandated to us under the BIP program to remove all projects below P5 million,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/18/lacson-trillions-spent-on-flood-control-since-2011-but-where-is-master-plan-1232">Lacson: Trillions spent on flood control since 2011, but where is master plan? </a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘VERY DELAYED’ </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The DPWH has experienced procurement delays for infrastructure projects this 2026, following the “dramatic” difference between the initial and the amended budget proposals, according to Dizon.</p><p>As of August 23 or eight months into the year, the DPWH has so far awarded projects worth P146.4 billion or 32 percent of the total projects worth P459.89 billion. But 76 percent have already been advertised for bidding.</p><p>“I will have to say na very delayed po talaga tayo rito. There are several reasons… Number one, dahil sa napakalaking pagbabago ng sinubmit na NEP noong 2026 at ng final GAA, hindi po tayo nakapag-early procurement,” Dizon said.</p><p>“Traditionally, ang DPWH po talaga, October pa lang of the previous year ay nagsa-start na ang bidding… Hindi po nangyari ‘yan noong 2025, dahil sa nangyari. Dahil nagbago ang NEP ng DPWH dramatically… As an offshoot of that, halos lahat, roughly around P460 billion of projects, which is essentially the entire capital outlay of budget of DPWH for 2026, ay naging for later release… meaning hindi ‘yan available kaagad ang SARO at na-release lang ang SARO noong late May at June of this year. So doon pa lang po talaga nakapagsimula ng procurement, after na-release ang SARO noong late May at early June,” he added.</p><p>“Talaga pong napakababa ng public infrastructure spending ngayong 2026, which is reflective now of the underperforming growth rates that we have in terms of gross domestic product,” Dizon noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/23/dpwh-pampanga-river-master-plan-planned-manila-bay-project-eyed-to-ease-bulacan-floods-0114">DPWH: Pampanga River master plan, planned Manila Bay project eyed to ease Bulacan floods </a></div><p>Another problem seen is inadequate funds for planning, detailed engineering, and feasibility studies.</p><p>“Wala rin pong nagiging basehan para sa paggawa ng programs of work. Ngayon talaga sinigurado natin na pag nag-bidding, kailangan mayroon nang clear program of work,” Dizon said.</p><p>He expressed confidence that by the end of September, over 80 percent of the projects for 2026 will be awarded. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/8/18/leptospirosis-cases-expected-to-climb-after-floods-doh-urges-early-treatment-1943">Leptospirosis cases expected to climb after floods; DOH urges early treatment after exposure </a></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/zptwmO3wTlk?&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/Esp_C6DlIPg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Department of Public Works and Highways seeks P83.84 billion for locally funded flood control projects next year, with its chief, Secretary Vince Dizon saying Wednesday that the proposed 2027 budget contains no “leadership funds”. </p>

The Department of Public Works and Highways seeks P83.84 billion for locally funded flood control projects next year, with its chief, Secretary Vince Dizon saying Wednesday that the proposed 2027 budget contains no “leadership funds”.

DPWH seeks P83.84-B for locally-funded flood control, says no ‘leadership fund’ in 2027 budget

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DPWH seeks P83.84-B for locally-funded flood control, says no ‘leadership fund’ in 2027 budget

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 26, 2026 03:38 PM PHT

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