Manila: Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday emphasized that corruption should not obstruct government infrastructure spending, warning that such hindrances could impede economic growth and development. Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, expressed his stance in a statement, advocating for accountability and prosecution as solutions to corruption rather than curtailing essential infrastructure programs.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian argued, "Corruption cannot be the reason to remove infrastructure programs, or else our people will suffer. The solution for corruption is to jail people, file cases, and make them accountable." His comments highlight a pressing issue amid the recent reduction of the Department of Public Works and Highways' budget allocation to PHP521 billion, which stands at just 4.5 percent of the GDP. This allocation falls short of the ideal 5 percent target and marks the agency's lowest allocation in recent years.

Gatchalian pointed out that following the flood control issues, there has been a noticeable slowdown in infrastructure spending. Despite this, he emphasized that there is still significant funding available that could be utilized in 2026. He stressed the importance of adjusting the current spending strategy to ensure that infrastructure investment remains at or above 5 percent of GDP.