The Senate on Monday postponed the third day of bicameral conference committee deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget due to a deadlock over the allocation for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), according to Senate Finance Committee chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian.
Gatchalian said the decision was reached after a Senate caucus, emphasizing that the upper chamber remains firm in opposing the use of overpriced construction materials in government infrastructure projects for 2026. He noted that Senate leaders informed their counterparts in the House of Representatives of the postponement to allow time to resolve disagreements with both the House and the DPWH.
The Senate earlier reduced the DPWH’s proposed 2026 budget to P570.48 billion from the House-approved P624.48 billion. Gatchalian explained that the cut was based on the Construction Materials Price Data submitted by the DPWH itself, which resulted in estimated reductions of about P45 billion due to adjusted pricing.
However, the DPWH has raised concerns about the application of an adjustment factor, arguing that it may not be suitable for all infrastructure projects given varying conditions nationwide. Over the weekend, the agency appealed to lawmakers to restore portions of the budget that were reduced.
Despite describing the situation as a deadlock, Gatchalian said the Senate remains open to dialogue and committed to finding a workable solution. He stressed that lawmakers are willing to collaborate with the House and the DPWH to move the budget process forward while ensuring that public funds are spent efficiently and responsibly.
