"Mahirap po kaming pagkatiwalaan (It's difficult to trust us)."

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon made this admission Sunday, Dec. 14 even as he tried to justify before the Bicameral Conference Committee on the 2026 national budget his quest for the conferees to restore the deducted amounts from the projects in the agency's proposed budget next year.

He said the deductions came as a result of the reductions in the Construction Materials Price Data or CMPD.

"Naiintindihan ko po, at naiintindihan din po ng Pangulo, 'yung pag-aalinlangan. DPWH has practically zero trust sa ating mga kababayan. And naiintindihan ko po na mukhang mahirap po kaming pagkatiwalaan. Naiintindihan ko po 'yun. Na baka pag 'yan ay binalik sa versions ng H... GAB, at sasabihin kami na lang ang gagawa ng pagbaba, naiintindihan ko po na pwede... na hindi kami pagkakatiwalaan na gagawin namin ito," Dizon told the solons on day two of the budget bicam hearings.

(I understand, and the President also understands, the hesitation. The DPWH has practically zero trust among our countrymen. And I understand that it seems difficult to trust us. I understand that. That if this is returned to versions of H… GAB, and it is said that we ourselves will be the ones to carry out the reduction, I understand that it is possible… that we will not be trusted to actually do it.)

HGAB stands for the House General Appropriations Bill, or the House version of the proposed national budget.

"Kaya po naglabas po ako mismo ng (That's why I myself released a) department order, which again has never been done. Mandating all regional directors, all district engineers to implement this strictly. At kung hindi po ito i-implement (And if this isn't implemented), we will not authorize the procurement of these projects. And if they do not implement it, 'yan po ay may kaakibat na mga penalty (that will come with penalties), both administrative and possibly even criminal," Dizon said.

It was Saturday night, during the first day of the livestreamed budget bicam hearings, when the DPWH posted their restoration request on social media.

The DPWH raised the possibility of "project unimplementability"--which could have a domino effect on the economy--should the reductions be kept.

"The DPWH has asked that it be allowed to implement the project costs changes using the updated CMPD Special Issuance, in the exercise of its executive functions, in order to ensure its proper execution.

"The motion for reconsideration is made to ensure that the detailed process of applying the new CMPD will be followed to avoid inaccurate costing and potential project unimplementability which may lead to underspending, and related legal and administrative issues," the DPWH said in its post.

On Sunday, Dizon was recognized that the agency was making a big ask, especially in light of the dwindling days of the budget process and lingering stench of the flood control projects corruption scandal.

'Yun po ang gagawin namin. Alam ko po mahirap po kaming pagkatiwalaan. Pero 'yun po ang hinihiling namin sa inyo ngayon (That is what we will do. I know it is difficult to trust us. But that is what we are asking of you now)," he said.

"And obviously with Congress' oversight function, anytime po pwede niyo po kaming i-check kung ito po talaga ay ginagawa namin. Lalong-lalo na po na-launch na po ng ating Pangulo ang transparency portal ng DPWH. Meron po dung live streaming ng lahat ng mga bids. Makikita niyo po dun pag pinublish, ma-co-compare niyo po binaba ba talaga ng DPWH ang cost ng mga proyektong ito. At kung hindi po namin binaba, patawag niyo po kami," Dizon said.

(And obviously, with Congress’ oversight function, you can check us anytime if we are truly doing this. Especially now that our President has launched the DPWH transparency portal. There, you will find live streaming of all the bids. You will see there, once published, and you can compare if the DPWH really lowered the cost of these projects. And if we did not lower it, then summon us.)

"Pero ako po, sinasabi ko po sa inyo (But I'm telling you right now), I will not allow it. We will not allow it po. Under the department order, we will not allow it. 'Yan po talaga eh kailangan naming i-aproba bago 'yan i-publish for bidding (We really have to approve that first before we publish it for bidding)," Dizon said.

"Kahit na po magdagdag tayo ng step sa pag-po-procure ng mga proyektong ito (Let's even add a step to the procurement of these projects). It's worth it to ensure that these projects are implemented with the right prices that we have already prescribed," the secretary said.