DND vows ‘judicious use’ of infra projects from DPWH

The Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday vowed judicious use of public funds should the P3 billion allocations for infrastructure projects under the Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) Program be transferred from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the Department of National Defense (DND).

DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong clarified that the stalled projects flagged by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian during the Senate Committee on Finance deliberations on the DND’s proposed 2026 budget were initiated and managed by the DPWH under the TIKAS initiative.

The program, he noted, is intended to fund and build infrastructure for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other defense units.

According to Andolong, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has recommended the termination of the said projects, citing poor implementation and lack of sustained funding that left several facilities either incomplete or unusable.

“These infrastructures were left incomplete and/or unusable,” Teodoro earlier said, underscoring the need for greater accountability and efficiency in the use of public funds.

The Defense Chief also expressed strong support for Gatchalian’s proposal to reallocate the TIKAS funding for fiscal year 2026 directly to the DND, allowing the department to oversee and manage defense-related infrastructure projects more effectively.

“Should the proposed transfer transpire, the DND shall ensure the judicious use of public funds, especially for the hardening of defense infrastructures aligned with our strategic basing and operational security requirements,” Andolong said.

The DND's backing of the budget realignment signals a shift toward more direct control over military infrastructure development, amid growing calls for transparency and strategic prioritization in defense spending.