ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio has flagged potential congressional insertions in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget within the House version of the proposed 2027 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
Tinio noted that while the DPWH plans to submit institutional adjustments to its allocation under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) as “amendments” rather than “errata,” unlisted provisions could still be introduced and tagged “For Later Release.”
“In short, there will be congressional—well, the usual term for that is ‘insertions.’ And amendments. So expect that there would be big changes in the GAB,” Tinio said.
The House version of the GAB was filed by House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mika Suansing after receiving the ₱7.2-trillion NEP from the Department of Budget and Management.
During a recent briefing on the DPWH’s proposed ₱643.95-billion allocation, key items highlighted included ₱199.58 billion for national roads, ₱117.74 billion for foreign-assisted projects, and ₱83.84 billion for local flood control.
Tinio raised questions regarding slow implementation, stating that infrastructure projects generally take at least two years and pointing out that only 32% of over 17,000 projects had been awarded by mid-August.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon defended the agency’s timeline, reporting that 15,032 out of 17,764 planned projects—valued at ₱349.5 billion—have already been advertised for procurement.
Dizon added that 7,467 projects worth ₱146.1 billion have been awarded, with the department targeting an 80% award rate for pending contracts by September.
Tinio maintained that systemic budget modifications continue to hamper progress:
“My point being, because of this system of errata, insertions, and so on, the standard timeline for construction is really at least two years, whether the project is large or small,” Tinio noted.
“Meaning, the pork barrel system is the major bottleneck to economic development and the delivery of basic services—for example, classrooms,” he added.
Tinio affirmed he will closely scrutinize the DPWH allocation throughout the legislative process, emphasizing that insertion risks persist despite ongoing reform efforts.