Latest news with #DepartmentofPublicWorksandHighways
Filipino Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Filipino Times
DPWH eyes EDSA rehabilitation in 2027 after PH hosts ASEAN Summit
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) may defer the rehabilitation of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) to 2027, in view of the Philippines' hosting of the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit next year. In an interview with DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the department is set to consult with the Office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the possibility of beginning the major rehabilitation works after the regional summit. 'Preferably, during the dry months of 2027 are what we are looking as the most viable times to undertake the rehabilitation,' Bonoan said in Filipino, noting that the timeline remains tentative. Bonoan explained that the agency is recommending a 'non-destructive' rehabilitation approach for Edsa, which means the existing pavement will not be completely removed. 'Instead, we will reinforce the weak sections and apply a crack relief layer before laying new asphalt over it. That's the planned process,' he said. The DPWH is currently waiting for the President's approval before implementing the plan. Bonoan added that there is no estimated budget yet for the rehabilitation project. Earlier, the DPWH had announced that the Edsa rehabilitation would not push through this year due to the onset of the rainy season.
Filipino Times
a day ago
- Business
- Filipino Times
DPWH lacks monitoring system for flood control projects inserted by lawmakers
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) admitted it has no monitoring system in place for certain flood control projects, particularly those inserted into the national budget by lawmakers without undergoing technical vetting. DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said some projects only appear in the agency's records after they are included in the final version of the General Appropriations Act (GAA). 'That will be the first time we will be seeing ang mga projects na ito kapag nailagay na po sa General Appropriations Act,' Bonoan said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. Despite this, the DPWH is still tasked to implement the projects, which often face delays due to the absence of feasibility studies, engineering assessments, and validation. From 2023 to 2025, the DPWH received a total of P980.25 billion for flood control projects, averaging P326.75 billion annually, according to data from GMA Integrated News Research. Bonoan said the department will comply with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to submit a comprehensive audit of completed and ongoing flood control projects. The agency will also report on the status of projects still under construction or those that remain inactive. The DPWH clarified that only projects included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) are subject to its regular validation process. Many flood control projects inserted during bicameral deliberations bypass this procedure. He also noted that the agency's budget for project preparation and engineering work has been significantly reduced, making implementation more difficult. In December, Marcos vetoed P16.72 billion worth of DPWH flood control items in the 2025 budget, stating that only projects under the NEP would be supported. This followed repeated findings by government watchdogs and state auditors about delays in foreign-assisted flood mitigation efforts in areas such as Metro Manila, Cavite, and Cagayan de Oro. While the DPWH uses a monitoring application for officially vetted projects, Bonoan said this does not cover projects inserted into the budget without the department's involvement.
GMA Network
a day ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
EDSA rehab might be moved to 2027 — DPWH
The deferred rehabilitation of the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) — Metro Manila's busiest thoroughfare — which was supposed to start in June this year might be moved further to 2027, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Wednesday. On the sidelines of the Post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum in San Juan City, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan told reporters that the DPWH is now awaiting President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.'s go signal for the agency to implement its recommendations to use a non-conventional construction technology to implement EDSA's rehabilitation. 'Ayaw ni Presidente na masyado mahaba 'yung pagsasara ng lanes sa EDSA,' Bonoan said. (The President does not want the closure of lanes at EDSA to take longer.) To recall, Marcos suspended the EDSA rehabilitation initiative that was supposed to begin on June 13, as the project needs to be studied for one month to know if there are new technologies that can be used to hasten the rehabilitation of the 23.8-kilometer road. In the original plan, EDSA would be reconstructed lane-by-lane, with each being replaced by a new road. The DPWH is now studying the 'time and motion' process where a layer would be placed above the surface of EDSA. Bonoan said it will not be practical to do the EDSA rehabilitation this second half of the year amid the rainy season. 'Mga next year na or 2027 kasi may ASEAN meeting eh,' he said. (It would be next year or 2027 because of the ASEAN meeting.) The Philippines is set to host the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit next year, as it took the helm of the bloc's chairmanship. The DPWH chief said that using a new technology, the rehabilitation of EDSA would 'take about six months.' With this, Bonoan said that 'there will be slight changes in the [budget].' The whole project would cost between P8 billion and P17 billion. Bonoan, in an exclusive report by Joseph Morong on '24 Oras,' earlier said that the road's rehabilitation and the consequent implementation of the odd-even scheme will only begin in 2026 as 'it is already the rainy season in the country, which will be followed by the Christmas rush during the 'Ber' months. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
DPWH admits lack of monitoring on 'inserted' flood control projects
The Department of Public Works and Highways admitted Wednesday that it has no monitoring system in place for some flood control projects—specifically those inserted by lawmakers into the national budget without undergoing technical vetting. DPWH Secretary Manuel 'Manny' Bonoan said the agency is seeing some of the projects for the first time only after they appear in the final version of the General Appropriations Act (GAA). 'That will be the first time we will be seeing ang mga projects na ito kapag nailagay na po sa General Appropriations Act,' Bonoan said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. (That's the first time we see these projects—when they're already in the final national budget.) 'Wala po [monitoring] because we are not part of the bicameral conference committee,' he added. (There's no monitoring, because we're not part of the bicameral committee.) Despite this, the DPWH is still expected to implement these projects—often with delays, due to the lack of prior validation, feasibility studies, or engineering assessments. 'Kami na rin po mag-iimplement (we will be the ones to implement) pero it will take some time to do assessments and validations,' Bonoan said. From 2023 to 2025, the DPWH received around P980.25 billion in funding for flood control—an average of P326.75 billion per year, based on data from GMA Integrated News Research. During his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the DPWH to submit a full list of all completed and ongoing flood control projects. The directive aims to identify delays, assess performance, and flag any possible ghost projects. 'I have ordered a comprehensive audit of all the projects that have been completed or are being implemented right now,' Bonoan said. The department will also submit each project's current status, including those still under construction and those that remain inactive. Insertions bypass DPWH checks The DPWH clarified that only projects included in the executive's National Expenditure Program (NEP) go through its regular validation process. Many flood control projects, however, are inserted into the national budget by lawmakers during bicameral deliberations—without DPWH involvement. 'Yung mga new items na hindi dumaan sa amin initially sa pagba-validate,' Bonoan said. (Those new items didn't go through us for initial validation.) He added the last-minute insertions often cause delays, especially when they involve right-of-way issues or affect existing communities. The lack of preparation and reduced funding for engineering work further slow down implementation. 'Ang mga budget po namin (Our budget) for project preparations and engineering activities have been drastically deleted,' he said. Last December, Marcos vetoed P16.72 billion worth of DPWH flood control items in the 2025 national budget. He emphasized that only projects included in the NEP will be supported moving forward. This aligns with long-standing concerns from watchdog groups and auditors, who flagged delays in several high-profile, foreign-assisted flood mitigation efforts in recent years—including projects in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Cagayan de Oro. While the DPWH uses a project monitoring application to track officially vetted projects, Bonoan acknowledged that the same level of oversight does not exist for inserted items. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Nearly P1 trillion allotted for flood control projects from 2023-2025
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) received around P980.25 billion budget for flood control projects from 2023 to 2025, according to data gathered by GMA Integrated News Research. This is equivalent to an average of P326.75 billion flood control budget for each year. In Joseph Morong's report on '24 Oras' on Tuesday, the DPWH said that it would submit next week to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the list of flood control projects to determine which were already finished and which are the 'ghost' projects However, state auditors in 2023 noted that the implementation of some foreign-assisted flood control projects were delayed. '...The DPWH disclosed that the Department was not able to efficiently implement 17 official development assistance (ODA) funded projects …as indicated by the reported year-end physical accomplishment with negative slippages ranging from 0.78% to 36.60%, increase in contact costs, and/or prolonged implementation period,' according to an audit report by the Commission on Audit. Among the delayed projects were the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project, which seeks to deepen the Pasig River and Marikina River to mitigate overflowing. Also affected are the Metro Manila Flood Management Project, Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project, and Cagayan de Oro Flood Risk Management Project. But the DPWH explained that the implementation of some projects was delayed due to budget constraints. 'We have been already cautioned by the lending institutions, actually, because napapansin daw nila that the appropriations we are putting into these projects are not adequate actually to sustain the momentum of the implementation,' said DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan. Furthermore, the DPWH stated that one of the challenges it is facing is the programs that did not undergo scrutiny for the government's National Expenditure Program. These affect the budget of existing projects causing their delays. 'Maraming dagdag, sabi ng President…To the detriment of the program of the President na hindi dumaan sa amin for vetting or preparation…Alam mo naman Congress has the power of the purse, dito na yung mga additional items,' said Bonoan. Under the national budget for 2025, Marcos vetoed the P16.72 billion budget for the DPWH's flood control projects. Marcos warned the Congress in his recent State of the Nation Address that he will vote against any budget allocations that are not part of the National Expenditure Program. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News
