Gatchalian seeks to transfer P3-B TIKAS fund from DPWH to DND

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is seeking to transfer the P3-billion budget allocation for the Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) program from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the Department of National Defense (DND) starting in 2026, citing poor implementation and idle military infrastructure projects.

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, raised the idea during the deliberation for the 2026 proposed budget of DND and its attached agencies. 

He lamented several projects intended for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Pasay City were tagged as “completed,” but the constructions remain unfinished.

Among the stalled projects are two multipurpose buildings worth P72 million and P51 million. Two other PAF projects, valued at P60 million and P17 million, also remain incomplete due to insufficient funding.

“For 2026, we will transfer the P3 billion to the DND. What matters most is that every peso of the fund benefits our soldiers,” Gatchalian said.

He argued that the DND is in a better position to implement such projects since it fully understands the operational needs and priorities of the military.

“Sayang naman yung mga gusali, nakatayo pero hindi nagagamit. Mas mainam na ang DND na mismo ang magpatupad ng mga proyekto (t’s a waste to have buildings that are already constructed but not being used. It would be better if the DND itself implemented the projects),” the senator added.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. confirmed that out of 944 TIKAS projects approved since 2019, only 648 have been completed, leaving many either unfinished or unusable.

The TIKAS Program is a collaborative effort between the DPWH and DND aimed at building and upgrading military infrastructure such as barracks, hospitals, and operational facilities to enhance the capability and welfare of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

With the proposed realignment of funds, Gatchalian hopes to improve project completion rates and ensure that public funds directly support the military’s needs.