The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday, Dec. 16, acknowledged gaps in its construction materials data that forced a reset of stalled budget deliberations.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon apologized to the Senate Committee on Finance for submitting incomplete Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD).

The lapse limited lawmakers’ ability to assess project-specific funding needs.

The shortfall triggered a standoff over a proposed P45-billion budget cut that threatened to derail nearly 10,000 infrastructure projects nationwide.

CMPD serves as the government benchmark for estimating material costs in public works projects and forms the basis of funding allocations across regions and project types.

During Monday’s bicameral conference meeting, senators pushed for the budget reduction, while House members and Dizon warned that across-the-board cuts would stall or affect thousands of projects.

The DPWH said it initially provided only the Regional Adjustment Factors and acknowledged that the data was insufficient for precise project-level adjustments.

“To address this, the DPWH has submitted additional, project-category-based data that incorporates key variables such as hauling distances and localized market behaviors, resulting in a more realistic basis for funding,” the agency said.

The department reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and said all budget adjustments will continue to be guided by technical integrity and operational feasibility.