Despite a lower infrastructure budget this year, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it remains confident about completing major transport projects to improve daily commuting and boost long-term competitiveness.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said over the weekend that expediting construction means having to “ramp up infrastructure spending to ensure that these projects will truly benefit the Filipino people.”

“With this, we are very much committed to continuing our efforts to expedite the completion of all existing projects and deliver them within the timeline. All funds allocated for infrastructure will directly benefit Filipinos,” Lopez said.

“We want to ensure the public and our investors that the budget will be spent efficiently to make sure that our projects truly address the needs of our commuters,” he added.

Budget lower than 2025’s

For 2026, the DoTr has allotted P74.5 billion for infrastructure flagship projects, lower than the P103.05 billion budget for 2025.

Of the 2025 allocation, P93.33 billion or 90.57 percent has already been obligated, while P59.63 billion or 63.89 percent has been disbursed.

Among the priority rail projects are the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway, the Metro Manila Subway Project, MRT-7, and the rehabilitation of MRT-3, alongside road initiatives such as the modernization of the EDSA Busway and the fast-tracking of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit and the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project.

The DoTr is also upgrading airports, including the soon-to-be inaugurated Antique and Laoag airports, and continuing the expansion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Siargao’s tourism sector is expected to benefit from the completion of a new passenger terminal building at Siargao Airport in April, which will expand passenger capacity from 200 to 750.

In the maritime sector, Lopez said the Philippines is positioning its seaports as “competitive, predictable, and investment-ready platforms that support trade expansion, logistics efficiency, tourism growth, and the clean energy transition.”

The Port of Jubang in Dapa, Surigao del Norte, is set to be inaugurated in the first quarter of 2026 and will serve as a dedicated cruise facility designed to accommodate international cruise ships.

The DoTr is also targeting to finish new road sections in SLEX, CALAX, the Cavite-CALAX Link Expressway, C-5 and Skyway Stage 3 this year to make land travel faster and more convenient for motorists.