MBC: DPWH budget growth ‘disproportionate’

THE Makati Business Club (MBC) said the growth of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget has far outstripped spending growth in the rest of the government for more than two decades.

In a statement on Monday, the MBC said the DPWH budget, including the proposed 2026 allocation, was “disproportionate compared to most other agencies even with adjustments to inflation considered.”

“Within DPWH, flood control has one of the largest fund allotments, now accounting for about one-third of all infrastructure outlays,” the MBC said.

It said flood control projects received over P1.2 trillion from 2023 to 2026, with P250 billion programmed for 2026, excluding local and convergence allocations.

“Despite years of record-high allocations, there has yet to be an explanation why there is a persistence of devastating floods every time the rains come,” it added.

Meanwhile, the MBC called for more scrutiny of Convergence and Special Support Programs (CSSP) items. The CSSP finances multipurpose buildings, local roads, streetlights, basketball courts, waiting sheds, and other discretionary projects.

“Its broad and undefined scope makes it highly vulnerable to political discretion and pork-barrel-type insertions,” the MBC said.

“CSSP projects are subject to weak transparency and audit mechanisms, posing significant risks for waste and misuse of taxpayer money,” it added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile