Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson removed more fat from the 2026 budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) by having P2 billion in appropriations for right-of-way (ROW) payments excised from it.
Lacson also moved to have the DPWH’s design manuals for key infrastructure updated and consultative, and to have a roadmap for digital planning, design, construction, maintenance and management to curb corruption.
During the period of amendments for the 2026 budget bill, Lacson sought to deduct P1 billion under the Various Completed Projects for the Payments of ROW for Nationwide/Central Office and another P1B from the Various Ongoing Projects for the Payments of ROW, similarly under Nationwide/Central Office.
“The Nationwide/Central Office’s Payments Right-of-Way (ROW) appropriations are redundant, as funds are already allocated regionally. If these funds are essential, they should be allocated to the relevant regions,” he said.
In Filipino: Lacson, Tinanggal ang P2B sa ‘Redundant’ ROW Payments, Isinulong ang Anti-Corruption Measures sa 2026 Budget ng DPWH
He proposed that the deducted amount be the source of his proposed budgetary amendments for various sectors including education, the judiciary, and transportation. Among the items he sought additional funding for were:
* transfer of P2.7277 billion from Tulong Dunong to the Tertiary Education Subsidy program;
* additional P30 million for the UP NCPAG Governance Reform, Innovation and Transformation Collaboratory (GRIT Labs);
* increase of P90.991 million for the Anti-Red Tape Authority;
* increase of P400 million for the Department of Transportation Cordillera regional office;
* P243,789,671 for the Supreme Court’s Judicial Integrity Office;
* increase of P223,664,000 for the Court of Appeals, whose original proposed budget of P8.472 billion was cut to P5.788 billion in the NEP
* increase of P28.5 million for the Development Academy of the Philippines’ Graduate School of Public and Development Management
For his part, Gatchalian thanked Lacson for “helping the committee find resources” to fund needed items in the 2026 budget bill.
Meanwhile, Lacson pushed for a new special provision in the budget bill for the updating of highway, bridge and flood management design manuals. He said this will address the worsening effects of climate change and ensure high-quality projects.
“By ensuring that the design manuals for key infrastructure are updated and consultative, we can foster foresight, strategic and climate-smart development in DPWH’s project implementation,” he said.
He also sought a new special provision providing a five-year detailed roadmap for digital planning, design, construction, maintenance and management, to curb corruption.
This will integrate Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the planning, designing, construction and maintenance and management of government-funded infrastructure, with BIM recognized by various countries as an effective tool in their construction industry and has institutionalized the transformative technology for designing, constructing, and managing public projects, he said.
“Recent events demonstrate that the scale, complexity, and fragmented nature of infrastructure projects create the opportunity for corruption. It is therefore an opportune time to adopt a technology that will ensure efficiency, transparency, and integrity in our infrastructure projects,” Lacson said.
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Lacson, Tinanggal ang P2B sa ‘Redundant’ ROW Payments, Isinulong ang Anti-Corruption Measures sa 2026 Budget ng DPWH
Tinanggal ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang dagdag na taba mula sa 2026 budget ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – P2 bilyon na nakalaan para sa right-of-way (ROW) payments.
Itinulak din ni Lacson na ma-update at maging consultative ang design manuals ng DPWH para sa mahahalagang imprastruktura, at magkaroon ng roadmap para sa digital planning, design, construction, maintenance at management upang mabawasan ang korapsyon.
Sa period of amendments ng 2026 budget bill, hiniling ni Lacson na kaltasin ang P1 bilyon mula sa Various Completed Projects for the Payments of ROW for Nationwide/Central Office, at isa pang P1 bilyon mula sa Various Ongoing Projects for the Payments of ROW, na pareho ring nasa Nationwide/Central Office.
“The Nationwide/Central Office’s Payments Right-of-Way (ROW) appropriations are redundant, as funds are already allocated regionally. If these funds are essential, they should be allocated to the relevant regions,” aniya.
Iminungkahi niyang ang nakaltas na halaga ang pagkunan ng pondo para sa iba’t ibang budgetary amendments para sa iba’t ibang sektor tulad ng edukasyon, hudikatura, at transportasyon. Kabilang sa mga item na hiningi niyang dagdagan ang pondo ay ang:
* Dagdag na P30 milyon para sa UP NCPAG Governance Reform, Innovation and Transformation Collaboratory (GRIT Labs);
* Dagdag na P90.991 milyon para sa Anti-Red Tape Authority;
* Dagdag na P400 milyon para sa Department of Transportation Cordillera regional office;
* P243,789,671 para sa Supreme Court’s Judicial Integrity Office;
* Dagdag na P223,664,000 para sa Court of Appeals, na ang orihinal na P8.472 bilyong proposed budget ay binawasan sa P5.788 bilyon sa NEP;
* Dagdag na P28.5 milyon para sa Development Academy of the Philippines’ Graduate School of Public and Development Management.
Nagpasalamat naman si Gatchalian kay Lacson dahil “helping the committee find resources” para pondohan ang mga kinakailangang item sa 2026 budget bill.
Samantala, itinulak ni Lacson ang paglalagay ng bagong special provision sa budget bill para sa pag-update ng highway, tulay, at flood management design manuals. Aniya, makatutulong ito sa pagtugon sa lumalalang epekto ng climate change at sa pagtiyak na dekalidad ang mga proyekto.
“By ensuring that the design manuals for key infrastructure are updated and consultative, we can foster foresight, strategic and climate-smart development in DPWH’s project implementation,” aniya.
Hiniling din niya ang isang bagong special provision na magtatakda ng isang five-year detailed roadmap para sa digital planning, design, construction, maintenance at management upang mabawasan ang korapsyon.
Kasama rito ang pag-integrate ng Building Information Modeling (BIM) sa planning, designing, construction, at maintenance/management ng government-funded infrastructure. Aniya, kinikilala na sa iba’t ibang bansa ang BIM bilang isang epektibong kasangkapan sa construction industry at ginagamit ito sa pagdisenyo, pagtatayo, at pamamahala ng mga pampublikong proyekto.
“Recent events demonstrate that the scale, complexity, and fragmented nature of infrastructure projects create the opportunity for corruption. It is therefore an opportune time toadopt a technology that will ensure efficiency, transparency, and integrity in our infrastructure projects,” ani Lacson.
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