The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) admitted shortcomings in the data it initially submitted to the Senate finance committee, which led to a deadlock in bicameral talks on its proposed 2026 budget.
The agency apologized for providing only regional adjustment factors and said it has since submitted revised, project-category-based data to produce more accurate cost estimates for nearly 10,000 infrastructure projects.
Senate finance committee chair Sherwin Gatchalian confirmed receipt of the revised figures, saying these could help restart stalled budget deliberations.
However, Senate leaders maintained their opposition to restoring the ₱45 billion cut from the DPWH budget, citing the need to remove excess allocations.
Despite the impasse, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains confident that the ₱6.793-trillion national budget will be passed on time to avoid delays caused by a reenacted budget.
Source: PhilNews24 | December 17, 2025
