Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said on Monday that some 946 projects worth P14.4 billion under the Department of Public Works were found to have potential red flags.
At the Senate budget hearing, Mr. Gatchalian questioned the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on whether it had verified that the projects were replicated in the 2026 budget.
“Did (the agency) find any projects based on your analysis that were doubled? Anything that was doubled, or that were executed and resurfaced in the 2026 budget,” he asked in Filipino.
Public Works Secretary Vivencio “Vince” B. Dizon said the agency has verified that 798 projects, including infrastructure projects worth P11.6 billion, are ongoing.
“As for the remaining 148, we don’t know yet,” Mr. Dizon said in Filipino.
Mr Dizon said these projects were a continuation of exciting projects that required additional funding.
The senator gave time till October 31 to the Department of Public Works and Highways to complete the verification of the remaining identified projects.
“If your initial review found no duplicate (projects), and these are all continuations in good faith, we will give you until Friday,” Mr. Gatchalian said.
The DPWH budget is under intense scrutiny after it was discovered that contractors and public works officials diverted funds from flood control infrastructure projects. – Adrian H. Halili
