Manila: Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday hinted at restoring the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) budget for 2026, but lower than the amount earlier requested by the agency, as bicameral conference committee deliberations near completion.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian mentioned in an interview that the figure is expected to be less than the PHP45 billion initially cited, after the DPWH submitted more detailed cost components, including logistics, hauling, indirect costs, and other expenses, to make project estimates more realistic.

'Mas less kasi finactor-in nila 'yung logistics, hauling, indirect cost, at 'yung iba pang mga cost to make it realistic. ngayon marami nang details so obviously liliit na 'yung savings na PHP45 billion na kinompute namin (It will be less because they factored in logistics, hauling, indirect costs, and other expenses to make it realistic. now there are more details, so obviously the PHP45 billion savings we computed will be reduced),' Gatchalian told reporters.

The DPWH budget review is being finalized, he added. 'Okay naman. Fina-finalize ko nga ngayon pero okay naman, so far so good (It's okay. I'm finalizing it now, but so far, so good),' he said, adding that finishing the bicameral deliberations within the day remains the target.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon earlier cautioned that applying construction materials price data or CMPD-based cuts across about 10,000 projects in the General Appropriations Bill could make some contracts unimplementable.

The bicameral conference on the 2026 national budget resumed at 4 p.m. Wednesday with more than 10 agency budgets left to be discussed and approved, including that of the DPWH.