Villar defends DPWH budget

SEN. Mark Villar has spoken in defense of the proposed P737.36 billion budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2023 during the Senate budget deliberation on Tuesday.

“I just like to take this opportunity to manifest that if we want the service, if we want to experience the full capability of the DPWH, if we have the expectation that it will provide us the service, I think we should also reciprocate by giving them the budget that is needed,” said Villar, a former DPWH secretary during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“Based on past experience, any reduction in this budget would lead to a lower service level for the department,” he added, citing the reduction of the agency’s maintenance fund from P24 billion to P11.3 billion.

But Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said there were double appropriations in the proposed DPWH budget amounting to P1.06 billion, among them P28.162 billion in lump sums.

Cayetano said two diversion road projects in Davao City, one with a budget of P105 million and the other P60 million, failed to report a description of whether they are ‘’phase 1’’ or ‘’phase 2.’’

He asked why these things were able to escape the notice of the Department of Budget and Management, particularly the double appropriations.

Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Works, asked for the DPWH’s budget for rebuilding public infrastructure damaged by natural calamities like typhoons and earthquakes.

“The P130 million released by DPWH from its Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the repair of eight bridges in Maguindanao is not enough, more funds must be provided for the total rehabilitation of the bridges in the soonest time possible,” Revilla said.

Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa also sought clarification on the release of the QRF for the repair of a damaged bridge in Barangay Taplan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

“Per the reply of the DPWH, the QRF had been released. Before, every time we could ask a project for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the DPWH would always tell us that BARMM has its own DPWH, and it cannot interfere with the projects of the BARMM. With the release of the QRF, will there be double funds released since the BARMM has its own DPWH?” dela Rosa said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Robinhood “Robin” Padilla appealed to the DPWH to fix damaged roads in the BARMM to help the region attain economic prosperity.