Senate considers reallocating DPWH’s P268-B flood control budget to education

In a move to address funding anomalies, senators are considering the transfer of the proposed Php 268 billion budget for flood control projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2026 to the education sector.

Photo Courtesy of Inquirer/GMA Network

“Ang pinag-aaralan namin ngayon ay ma-realign all Php 270 billion ng flood control to education,” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate finance committee, said in a Zoom interview with the Philippine Star on September 5.

According to Gatchalian, budget allocation for the two agencies, DPWH and the Department of Education (DepEd), will be prioritized in the review.

Under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), DepEd has been allocated the largest portion of the proposed budget, amounting to Php 928.5 billion, while DPWH will receive Php 881.3 billion.

Budget ‘red flags’

In a Senate budget hearing on September 2, lawmakers identified irregularities in the DPWH’s proposed budget, flagging projects with identical costs and those that were already funded in the previous year.

“Ang sentiment ng senators is huwag mag-approve ng ghost projects, huwag mag-approve ng mga projects na anomalous at may red flags. Iyon ang general sentiment. So with that, general sentiment din nila na ilipat na lang itong Php 270 billion,” Gatchalian said.

Reallocating the flood control budget to DepEd, he said, would help the country finally achieve the four percent gross domestic product (GDP) spending goal for education recommended by international organizations.

He also noted that roads, bridges, buildings, and other projects by the DPWH should be scrutinized for corruption.

“Kung mangyari ‘yan sa flood control, baka meron din yan sa ibang items, tulad ng road and bridges,” he said.

After public outrage over flood control project irregularities, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the DPWH to conduct a comprehensive review and make the necessary corrections for the budget.

In the interview, Gatchalian also spoke of addressing classroom backlogs, stating that he and DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara are exploring construction collaboration with entities outside the DPWH, such as local government units (LGUs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

“Yung time ng pagbigay from DepEd to DPWH, normally six months na yan eh kaya nadedelay talaga yung construction ng mga classrooms natin,” he said.

Earlier this year, DepEd estimated that it would take around 55 years to fix the country’s classroom backlog of approximately 165,000 if construction continues to lag behind.