DPWH pledges faster projects for 2026

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) disclosed on Monday that it will model its 2026 infrastructure projects after successful post-disaster rehabilitation efforts to ensure faster and more cost-effective construction.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the agency intends to replicate the efficiency seen during emergency repairs of roads, bridges and hospitals.

“Our priority now is to be able to replicate what we did during the typhoons, during the earthquakes,” Dizon said. “It turns out it can be done that way — the price can be right, it can be fast, and it can be quality.”

The agency cited several benchmarks for future work, including the Piggatan Detour Bridge in Cagayan, completed in 60 days, and the restoration of typhoon-damaged schools in Masbate.

Other models include the Bukidnon-Davao Road, expected to be fully repaired by 6 January, and the reinforced San Juanico Bridge in Tacloban City.

The DPWH expects to save approximately P60 billion next year by standardizing and lowering the costs of construction materials. Dizon described the move as the “single biggest reform” in the agency’s history, noting that prices for cement, steel, and asphalt are now aligned with market levels.

According to the agency, material costs have dropped by as much as 74 percent compared to earlier this year. Asphalt prices have decreased by 50 percent, while reinforcing steel is down 30 percent to 32 percent.

The savings are projected to fund an additional 1,600 kilometers of concrete roads and 1,000 kilometers of asphalt roads.

The reforms come amid a massive investigation into a flood control scandal. The DPWH has recommended charges against 87 individuals, including former Speaker Martin Romualdez, former agency chiefs, and several senators. The allegations include plunder, malversation and bribery.

To date, 23 cases have been filed in court and nine arrests have been made. Recovery efforts have secured P150 million returned by former officials and P13 billion in frozen assets.

To increase transparency, the agency has launched a public portal that allows the public to track project data and material costs.