Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday evening flagged several “duplicate” projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in its corruption-filled 2025 budget, which he said could have been designed to “confuse and corrupt.”
In his interpellation of the DPWH’s budget for 2026, Lacson noted these duplicates were under the Convergence and Special Support Program (CSSP), which were “significantly bloated every year” from 2023 to 2025.
“Bakit ito palaging bloated every year? Significant ang kanyang pagtaas (Why is the CSSP bloated every year? And the increases are significant),” he said.
Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, who sponsored the DPWH budget, replied that these increases are “mostly congressional.”
In FIlipino: Designed to ‘Confuse and Corrupt’? Lacson, Sinita ang mga ‘Duplicate’ Projects sa 2025 Budget ng DPWH
Lacson noted the DPWH’s CSSP budget in 2024 showed it had an allotment of P174.088 billion in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2024, but this ballooned to P410.91 billion in the 2024 General Appropriations Act – a 136.08% increase.
For 2025, the CSSP budget ballooned from P221.499 billion in the NEP to P504.226 billion in the GAA – a 127.61% increase.
For 2026, the CSSP had P167.79 billion in the NEP and P234.236 billion in the House version of the budget bill – a 39.6% increase.
In addition, under the CSSP’s budget, Lacson said he found that many projects under the Sustainable Infra Projects Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG) had the same names as those under the Basic Infrastructure programs (BIP), although with different amounts.
For 2026, SIPAG had P69.725 billion in the NEP for 2026, which increased to P111.03 billion in the House version of the budget bill, and P110.649 billion in the Senate version.
The BIP had P60.38 billion in the NEP for 2026, an amount that went up to P90.996 billion in the House version, and went down to P88.905 billion in the Senate version.
“Pag-aralan natin kasi baka nag-double appropriations tayo under different programs and projects pareho din. Different programs but same projects (We have to take a closer look at them because we may be giving double appropriations – different programs but the same projects),” he added.
He illustrated that among the projects that had “duplicate” allocations in the 2025 budget were:
* Construction of Brgy. San Jose-Brgy. Bandi Road Package 2 in Brgy. San Jose-Brgy. Bandi, Donsol, Sorsogon, with P39.433 million under SIPAG and P150 million under BIP
* Road rehabilitation, Phases 1 and 2, in Umingan, Pangasinan (P125 million and P200 million respectively) under SIPAG, and Phase 3 of “construction/rehabilitation” of roads in Umingan (P17 million) under BIP
* Construction of a road at Brgy. Guisican, Phase II, in Labo, Camarines Norte (P30 million) under SIPAG and Phase I of a similarly named project (P100 million) under BIP
* Rehabilitation of road, Phase 1 from Brgy. Naspi to Brgy. Abucay, Pilar, Sorsogon (P100 million) under SIPAG, and construction of Naspi-Abucay Road in Pilar, Sorsogon, Phase 2 (P50 million) under BIP
“I hope ma-rectify. I can go on and on, marami pang projects. I hope Sec. Dizon will take a look at all the project titles especially those exactly the same or na-Phase 1, Phase 2 (I hope this can be rectified. I can go on and on because we saw so many projects. I hope Sec. Dizon will look at the project titles especially those that are exactly the same or divided into phases but placed under different programs),” Lacson said.
Gatchalian pointed out that in the case of projects with the same title and without technical description, the district engineer may have discretion of how and where to implement the projects.
But Gatchalian said that starting next year, the DPWH will collapse the two programs for the 2027 budget. But Lacson maintains that this must be implemented immediately to avoid fund wastage.
Unprogrammed appropriations
Meanwhile, Lacson called anew for a stop to the abuse of the unprogrammed appropriations in the budget. From 2023 to 2025, he said that P151.426 billion was spent for flood control projects under the unprogrammed appropriations, aside from the P1.006 trillion taken from the programmed appropriations.
This included P34 billion in unprogrammed appropriations under the 2023 budget; P107 billion under the 2024 budget; and P9.7 billion under the 2025 budget.
Lacson cited a study by the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG) showing that only 923 of some 9,800 flood control projects (9.4 percent) have no issues, while 29.9% are potentially ghost projects. 6,290 were flagged as chop-chop or fragmented/duplicated in the same boundaries; while 5,423 were flagged as doppelgangers.
Reforms
Meanwhile, Gatchalian said reforms are on the way with the cooperation of the DPWH. He said the DPWH will now include station numbers and technical descriptions for infrastructure projects instead of “Phase 1” or “Phase 2.”
Building projects will have building IDs with coordinates na, he added.
“With you there and Sec. Vince at the helm of the DPWH, I think reforms are really underway and we fully trust Sec. Dizon and his team,” Lacson told Gatchalian.
Gatchalian thanked Lacson as well, saying Lacson started the reforms.
“All these reforms were actually started by you. I remember when noong bago akong senador i would listen to you intently until the wee hours in interpellating the DPWH budget and you had been advocating this probably for decades na. So after decades meron na pong lumabas nang reporma at least here in the Senate (All these reforms were started by you. When I was a new senator I would listen to you intently until the wee hours of the morning interpellating the DPWH budget and you had been advocating this for decades. So after decades, reforms are beginning to emerge at least in the Senate),” he replied to Lacson.
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Designed to ‘Confuse and Corrupt’? Lacson, Sinita ang mga ‘Duplicate’ Projects sa 2025 Budget ng DPWH
Sinita ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes ng gabi ang ilang “duplicate” na proyekto ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) sa maanomalyang 2025 budget nito, na aniya ay posibleng idinisenyo para mag-“confuse and corrupt”
Sa kanyang interpellation sa budget ng DPWH para sa 2026, binanggit ni Lacson na ang mga duplicate na ito ay nasa ilalim ng Convergence and Special Support Program (CSSP), na malaki ang paglobo taon-taon mula 2023 hanggang 2025.
“Bakit ito palaging bloated every year? Significant ang kanyang pagtaas,” aniya.
Ayon kay Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, na sponsor ng DPWH budget, ang mga pagtaas na ito ay “mostly congressional.”
Tinukoy ni Lacson na ang CSSP budget ng DPWH para sa 2024 ay may allotment na P174.088 bilyon sa National Expenditure Program (NEP), ngunit lumobo ito sa P410.91 bilyon sa 2024 General Appropriations Act — 136.08% na pagtaas.
Para sa 2025, lumobo ang CSSP budget mula P221.499 bilyon sa NEP tungo sa P504.226 bilyon sa GAA — 127.61% na pagtaas.
Para sa 2026, ang CSSP ay may P167.79 milyon sa NEP at P234.236 milyon sa House version ng budget bill — 39.6% na pagtaas.
Dagdag pa ni Lacson, sa ilalim ng CSSP budget ay natuklasan niyang maraming proyekto sa ilalim ng Sustainable Infra Projects Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG) ang may parehong pangalan ng mga proyekto sa ilalim ng Basic Infrastructure Programs (BIP), bagama’t magkaiba ang halaga.
Para sa 2026, binanggit niya na ang SIPAG ay may P69.725 bilyon sa NEP, na tumaas sa P111.03 bilyon sa House version, at P110.649 bilyon sa Senate version.
Ang BIP naman ay may P60.38 bilyon sa NEP para sa 2026, na umakyat sa P90.996 bilyon sa House version, ngunit bumaba sa P88.905 bilyon sa Senate version.
“Pag-aralan natin kasi baka nag-double appropriations tayo under different programs and projects pareho din. Different programs but same projects,” aniya.
Ilan sa mga proyektong may “duplicate” allocations sa 2025 budget ay ang mga sumusunod:
* Construction of Brgy. San Jose-Brgy. Bandi Road Package 2 sa Donsol, Sorsogon — P39.433M (SIPAG) vs. P150M (BIP)
* Road rehabilitation, Phases 1 and 2, Umingan, Pangasinan — P125M at P200M (SIPAG) vs. Phase 3 “construction/rehabilitation” — P17M (BIP)
* Construction of a road at Brgy. Guisican, Phase II, Labo, Camarines Norte — P30M (SIPAG) vs. Phase I — P100M (BIP)
* Rehabilitation of road, Phase 1, Brgy. Naspi to Brgy. Abucay, Pilar, Sorsogon — P100M (SIPAG) vs. Construction of Naspi-Abucay Road, Phase 2 — P50M (BIP)
“I hope ma-rectify… marami pang projects. I hope Sec. Dizon will take a look at all the project titles especially those exactly the same or na-Phase 1, Phase 2,” ani Lacson.
Ipinaliwanag ni Gatchalian na sa mga proyektong may parehong titulo at walang technical description, maaaring may discretion ang district engineer kung paano at saan ito ipapatupad.
Dagdag pa ni Gatchalian, simula sa susunod na taon ay pagsasamahin na ng DPWH ang dalawang programa sa 2027 budget. Ngunit giit ni Lacson, dapat itong gawin agad upang maiwasan ang pag-aaksaya ng pondo.
Unprogrammed appropriations
Muli ring nanawagan si Lacson na itigil ang pang-aabuso sa unprogrammed appropriations. Mula 2023 hanggang 2025, sinabi niyang P151.426 bilyon ang ginastos para sa flood control projects sa ilalim ng unprogrammed appropriations, bukod pa sa P1.006 trilyon mula sa programmed appropriations.
Kasama rito ang P34B sa 2023 budget; P107B sa 2024 budget; at P9.7B sa 2025 budget.
Tinukoy rin ni Lacson ang pag-aaral ng UP NCPAG na nagsabing 923 lamang sa mahigit 9,800 flood control projects (9.4%) ang walang issue, habang 29.9% ang potentially ghost projects; 6,290 ang chop-chop/fragmented or duplicated; at 5,423 ang doppelgangers.
Mga Reporma
Sinabi ni Gatchalian na may mga reporma nang ginagawa sa pakikipagtulungan ng DPWH. Kabilang dito ang paglalagay ng station numbers at technical descriptions sa infrastructure projects sa halip na “Phase 1” o “Phase 2.”
Magkakaroon na rin ng building IDs at coordinates para sa building projects.
“With you there and Sec. Vince at the helm of the DPWH, I think reforms are really underway and we fully trust Sec. Dizon and his team,” sabi ni Lacson.
Nagpasalamat si Gatchalian at binigyang-diin na si Lacson ang nagpasimula ng mga repormang ito.
“All these reforms were actually started by you. I remember when noong bago akong senador i would listen to you intently until the wee hours in interpellating the DPWH budget and you had been advocating this probably for decades na. So after decades meron na pong lumabas nang reporma at least here in the Senate,” tugon niya.
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