Marcos wants to recover funds for DPWH foreign-assisted projects

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Thursday that he wants to recover funds for the foreign-assisted projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

This as Marcos met with DPWH officials at the Malacañang Palace to discuss the result of the agency’s budget review under the Fiscal Year 2025 General Appropriations Act. 

“Because we asked for P70 billion and they (lawmakers) gave us P23 billion,” the President said. 

Marcos stressed that the focus should be on projects that “will make a difference to people’s lives.” He also wants DPWH to prioritize the maintenance of agency projects, feasibility studies, and right-of-way issues.

Under the 2025 GAA, budget reductions in the DPWH’s programs, activities, and projects include payments of right-of-way; contractual obligations, Value Added Tax, and other taxes; pre-feasibility study, feasibility study, and primary and detailed engineering; public-private partnership strategic support fund; and KAlsada TUngo sa PAliparan, Riles, at DaungAN Program.

The outlay was also reduced for the agency’s Bridge Program, Network Development Program, Tourism Road Infrastructure Program, Roads Leveraging Linkages of Industry and Trade Program, and foreign-assisted projects.

To recall, Marcos vetoed P26 billion worth of projects under the DPWH as these were not totally supportive of the administration's 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda.

Many of these projects need to be scrutinized and are not yet ready for implementation, the DPWH earlier said. —LDF, GMA Integrated News