THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is pushing for a nationwide “menu” of pre-identified infrastructure projects starting with flood mitigation programs to solve issues regarding budget insertions.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, in a Super Radyo dzBB interview yesterday, explained that creating a menu of pre-approved infrastructure projects across the country would allow agencies and lawmakers to choose from a list of thoroughly evaluated proposals.
These projects, she said, are already aligned with national priorities and available funding under the President’s budget or the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“Ang naisip po sana namin na maganda ay magkaroon kami ng menu ng mga proyekto sa buong Pilipinas. Kung kaya namin kaagad, kunyari sa flood control and water management, makapag-identify kami ng sampu. Kunwari po, tapos napondohan namin sa President’s budget o kaya sa NEP, kung sa tingin nila hindi ‘yan priority pa ngayon, pwede sila tumingin sa ibang menu na meron kami,” said Pangandaman.
She also said that the government is working toward a more “coordinated and data-driven approach” in allocating funds, particularly for flood mitigation projects.
“‘Di lang ‘yan one-size-fits-all na solusyon. Marami pwedeng solusyon na gawin depende sa lugar at area,” said Pangandaman.
She added that the DBM has already incorporated this principle into the national budget process, ensuring that agencies are involved in project planning to maximize efficiency.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in July approved the P6.793-trillion NEP for Fiscal Year 2026.
Pangandaman said the President himself sat down with the different agencies to ensure that all the priorities are aligned towards the common goal of achieving the vision of a Bagong Pilipinas.
Pangandaman, meanwhile, made clear that projects inserted into the budget outside the official process, such as those coming from lawmakers, will not be considered if they were not technically vetted.
She also warned that bypassing this system by inserting unstudied projects risks wasting time, money, and resources.
From 2023 to 2025, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) received around P980.25 billion for flood control initiatives—an average of P326.75 billion annually, according to GMA Integrated News Research.
In his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed the DPWH to submit a complete list of all flood control projects, both completed and ongoing, to evaluate delays and flag possible ghost projects.
DPWH Secretary Manuel “Manny” Bonoan has since admitted that the agency lacks a monitoring system for some flood control initiatives—particularly those inserted by lawmakers without undergoing technical review. (GMA Integrated News)
