Dizon given 7 days to ‘clean’ P881.3-billion DPWH budget
The House of Representatives committee on appropriations has given the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under its new head, Vince Dizon, seven days to review and submit an overhauled proposal of its 2026 budget—a third of which was earmarked for flood control.
The committee, through a motion made by Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima on Friday, gave DPWH and the Department of Budget and Management not later than Sept. 16 to submit all new errata, amendments, proposals, and provisions relating to the budget. It also suspended further deliberations until they have done so.
‘State of disarray’
Dizon, even before De Lima made the motion, already asked lawmakers for at least a week to strike out all the red flags in their proposed P881.3 billion budget for 2026.
The newly appointed DPWH chief said he was open to budget cuts by striking out funds for corruption-prone projects, particularly flood control, which has cornered P268 billion of the agency’s current budget proposal.
“I have to admit, I did not understand almost everything in the budget due to its state of disarray, even if I have been in government service for a long time,” Dizon told the committee in Filipino.
Problematic entries
“Part of our decision to clean our ranks from top to bottom is a need to do sweeping reforms. But I would admit that I have been overwhelmed with the magnitude of problems and disarray within the department […] this will not be an easy process, this will not be a quick process,” he added.
The DPWH has been entangled in allegations of widespread corruption in flood control projects that are now the subject of several investigations.
4Ps Rep. Marcelino Libanan questioned why many flood control projects were placed in areas that were not necessarily flood-prone while actual typhoon-prone towns still did not have sea walls.
Dizon acknowledged this gap, saying that there was a need to reduce flood control funding “without compromising for the areas that really need it.”
“What we’re seeing now is that there are several areas that implement flood control projects that need fixing. We do not need to add more budget to flood control projects in areas where it is not needed,” he said.
The same goes for funding for rock-netting projects, redundant asphalt overlay projects and solar rock studs (cat’s eyes) installations, all of which have been long flagged to be massive sources of kickbacks.
Dizon also promised to review the splitting of DPWH contracts into phases or packages, which Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin said appears to be “coded” as they have similar amounts and rounded to the last zero.
“It will just take a lot of cleaning up because there are a lot even in the 2026 budget,” Dizon said. “We will try our best to clean these up.”
Cyber warrants
Beyond these problematic entries, Dizon noted that current flood control projects did not seem to be aligned with a flood control master plan left behind by former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson.
“I’ve been told right now there was a 2014 master plan for Metro Manila and 18 river basins across the country, which I think is the one mentioned by Singson, but I don’t think it is being used as the basis (for flood management plans),” Dizon said.
“Allow me to be frank Madam Chair so this must change and moving forward we need to have a basis and not plot out flood control projects arbitrarily,” he added.
During the hearing, Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno also urged Dizon to consider asking for bank secrecy waivers and cyber warrants to intercept government-issued devices to crack down on suspect DPWH officials and employees.
Diokno said these could form part of the agency’s measures to preserve evidence during his cleanup of the department.
The waivers, he noted, are not part of standard operating procedure but “there is no legal impediment to request them to do that.”
Police coordination
At the same time, Diokno suggested that the new public works secretary issue an order securing all government electronic devices “that may have been used by those who have been dismissed or who have retired or resigned.”
“Under the law and jurisprudence, you may access that and determine if there are communications there that are incriminating (and) you can use that against them,” he added.
Dizon said he would be looking into Diokno’s suggestion and revealed that they would be coordinating with the Philippine National Police-Cybercrime Division to ask for assistance in seeking cyber warrants.
He also disclosed that he has asked former members of the PNP, including former Gen. Arthur Bisnar, to come onboard to help the department preserve evidence and secure documents.
Suspended
Before Bonoan stepped down, he ordered the suspension and removal of several DPWH officials suspected of corruption, including former Bulacan district engineer Henry Alcantara.
Alcantara admitted that he had signed off several projects in Bulacan province, including a P55-million reinforced concrete river wall project at Barangay Piel in Baliuag awarded to SYMS Construction Trading, and which President Marcos personally inspected last month.
Mr. Marcos was dismayed to find that the project was nonexistent even though the government has already paid tranches of P43.4 million and P5.9 million to SYMS as of 2025. —WITH A REPORT FROM GABRIEL PABICO LALU
