Dizon calls for reduction in P268-B flood control budget for 2026
By Trixee Rosel
At A Glance
- DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon calls for reduction in P268-B flood control budget for 2026.
- Proposed DPWH budget for next year totals P880 billion, with flood control taking over 32% of spending.
- Cut aims to eliminate redundant projects and prioritize high-risk areas.
- Lawmakers stress funding only for "red zone" projects endorsed by feasibility studies and the Regional Development Council.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon speaks during his turnover ceremony on September 2, 2025, at the agency’s central office in Port Area, Manila, where he pledged to tighten contractor compliance and strengthen oversight to restore public trust and uphold integrity in government infrastructure projects. (Screenshot from Facebook Live of the DPWH turnover ceremony)
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on Friday, Sept. 5, called for a reduction in the P268 billion allocation for flood control projects under the agency’s proposed 2026 budget.
The DPWH’s proposed budget for next year totals P880 billion, with flood control initiatives accounting for more than 32 percent of the agency’s planned spending.
He made the call during a briefing before the House appropriations panel, saying the reduction aims to eliminate redundant spending while prioritizing high-risk areas without compromising the needs of flood control projects.
“We need to start correcting the proposed DPWH budget with the errors pointed out by members of Congress, projects that are either completed but still funded, and double counting with multiple allocations for the same project, while also preventing unnecessary new projects and ensuring previously implemented projects are properly repaired and cleaned up,” Dizon said.
“We have seen how previously implemented projects need to be fixed. Additional budget should not be allocated where it is not needed,” he added.
House appropriations panel chairperson and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing said only flood control projects in areas identified as high-risk “red zones” under Project NOAH or the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Standards of the UP Resilience Institute should be funded.
“Red zones are areas posing high risk of fatalities, either due to deep floodwaters or strong water flow,” Suansing explained.
She added that only projects based on feasibility studies and endorsed by the Regional Development Council should be included in next year’s budget.