Amid Reduced DPWH Budget for 2026, Department Still Gets Second Highest Budget
DPWH – The Department of Public Works and Highways gets second highest budget for 2026 amid the flood control mess in the Philippines.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has signed the proposed P6.79 trillion budget for 2026. The Malacañang Palace previously claimed that Marcos Jr. spent his Christmas holidays working for the review of the budget approved by the bicameral conference committee.
The ceremonial signing held at the Malacañang Palace yesterday, January 5, 2026, came after a week of a reenacted budget running the country. The finance authorities previously claimed that it won’t have much negative impacts on the nation.
After signing the P6.79 trillion budget for 2026, Marcos Jr. announced his order to junk the Padrino System in the government. According to him, politicians are no longer allowed to distribute cash aid and other forms of assistance.
Out of the P6.79 trillion national budget for 2026, the DPWH still have the second highest budget for 2026. It is amid the claim of Public Works Sec. Vince Dizon that the approved budget of the department is over P300 billion lower than their main proposal.
Based on a report on PhilStar, here are the 2026 budget of the different key departments in the government including the DPWH:
- Department of Education — P1.015 trillion
- Department of Public Works and Highways — P530.9 billion
- Department of Health — P448.1 billion
- Department of the Interior and Local Government — P310.5 billion
- Department of National Defense — P310.0 billion
- Department of Agriculture — P297.1 billion
- Department of Social Welfare and Development — P270.2 billion
- Department of Transportation — P141.0 billion
- Department of Labor and Employment — P73.6 billion
- Judiciary — P70.6 billion
Based on the report, the DPWH originally asked for P850 billion for 2026. It was initially reduced when Pres. Bongbong Marcos ordered a sweeping review of the department’s budget proposal amid the flood control mess.
Marcos Jr. vetoed 7 out of 10 unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 budget. Here are the UAs rejected by the President:
- Prior Years’ Local Government Unit Shares: P14.623 million
- Budgetary Support for Government Owned and Controlled Corporations: P6.895 billion
- CARS Program (Automotive Industry Support): P4.32 billion
- Payment of Personnel Services Requirements: P43.245 billion
- Government Counterpart for Certain Foreign-Assisted Projects: P35.77 billion
- RACE Program (Automotive Industry Competitiveness): P250 million
- Insurance of Government Assets and Interests: P2 billion
Following the signing of the budget for this year, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto claimed that Marcos Jr. did not just sign the 2026 national budget but examined and studied it.