Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s recent directive to realign funds originally intended for flood control projects in 2026 will not compromise the country’s overall infrastructure spending, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Pangandaman stated that the realignment of PHP255.55 billion in flood control funding is a strategic move to prioritize vital government programs while ensuring critical infrastructure projects remain unaffected. She emphasized that the Marcos administration remains committed to delivering key infrastructure projects, including school buildings, hospitals, and infrastructure that supports the agriculture sector.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has already reduced its proposed 2026 budget from over PHP881 billion to PHP625.78 billion by removing duplicate or completed projects valued at PHP255.53 billion. Pangandaman assured that existing contractual obligations will be honored, highlighting the administration’s use of Program Convergence Budgeting to reduce program overlaps and optimize resource allocation across agencies.
Pangandaman also promised to maintain transparency and accountability in monitoring the use of reallocated funds to guarantee they reach education and other priority sectors. She expressed confidence that Congress would collaborate with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to fulfill their shared commitment to education, asserting that the realignment is about providing real opportunities for students and securing a brighter future for the country.
Marcos earlier ordered reallocating a portion of the DPWH’s flood control budget to support priority agencies such as the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Pangandaman stated that the reallocation of funds is intended to enhance the government’s capacity to deliver quality education and skills development programs, addressing growing enrollment demands and elevating the standard of higher education.
Pangandaman committed to close coordination with Congress to ensure the swift approval of increased allocations, particularly for state universities and colleges (SUCs). She noted that education has always been a top priority under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) and assured that the realignment would be implemented properly to support students, teachers, and SUCs.
Pangandaman also expressed openness to adjusting funding levels, pledging to work closely with legislative counterparts to ensure allocations align with actual enrollment projections. This follows Senator Bam Aquino’s citation of projections from the Philippine Association of State Colleges and Universities, indicating that SUC enrollment, currently at 1.97 million students, could increase by 300,000 in 2026. Aquino warned that if budget allocations do not keep pace with enrollment growth, the Department of Budget and Management’s current funding package could fall short by PHP3.29 billion. Pangandaman emphasized the need to ensure alignment between projections per SUC and the corresponding Free Higher Education funding to prevent any institution from being left behind or underfunded.