Gatchalian wants P3-B fund transferred from DPWH to DND

By Leonel Abasola, Philippine News Agency

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday recommended the transfer of the PHP3-billion allocation for the Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad. (Senate of the Philippines/facebook)

MANILA – Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday recommended the transfer of the PHP3-billion allocation for the Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) Program under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the Department of National Defense (DND), citing low completion rates and idle infrastructure projects.

In a statement, Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Finance Committee, pointed out that the amount can be used to fund unfinished DPWH projects for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Pasay City including two multi-purpose buildings worth PHP72 million and PHP51 million which were tagged as completed but remain unfinished.

Two other PAF projects, valued at PHP60 million and PHP17 million, also lack complete funding.

“Sayang naman yung mga gusali, nakatayo pero hindi nagagamit. Mas mainam na ang DND na mismo ang magpatupad ng mga proyekto dahil sila naman ang nakakaalam ng kanilang mga pangangailangan (It’s a pity if we cannot use the building, it’s better for the DND will implement the project since they are the ones who know their needs),” he added.

The 2026 proposed budget of the DPWH was cut from over PHP881 billion to over PHP625 billion after a review.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro reported that out of 944 approved TIKAS projects since 2019, only 648 have been completed, with several left unfinished or unusable.