Manila: The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is fully supportive of the Senate's call to cut project costs by up to 30 percent as part of a broader reform push ordered by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to clean up the agency and ensure value for money in public works spending. During the 2026 DPWH budget hearing chaired by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday, Secretary Vince Dizon said Marcos has instructed him to sustain infrastructure development while rooting out corruption and inefficiency in the department.

According to Philippines News Agency, the President's directive is that the agency will spare no one, referring to the department's ongoing validation of more than 400 suspected ghost projects flagged by a joint inter-agency task force. Dizon added that the DPWH is updating its Cost per Meter Database (CPMD) and Detailed Unit Price Analysis (DUPA), which have remained unchanged since 2015, to align project costs with current market prices and prevent overpricing.

Senator Loren Legarda proposed an 'across-the-board' 25 to 30 percent reduction in DPWH infrastructure line items, warning that Congress cannot approve a budget padded with excessive prices. Senator Bam Aquino supported the move, suggesting an initial 20-percent cut pending the completion of the DPWH's review. Aquino emphasized the importance of ensuring that the design and cost of materials are not overpriced, advocating for real prices that reflect what the people deserve.

Dizon expressed the department's welcome of the Senate's initiative and assured that reforms in cost control, transparency, and planning will continue beyond his term. He noted his limited tenure and expressed hope that the reforms ordered by the President will be sustained.