The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has proposed a P3.06-billion allocation for the construction of evacuation centers nationwide in 2027, more than double the amount earmarked for the program in the previous year.

Under the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), the proposed funding is included in the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) “National Building Program,” which covers the construction and rehabilitation of multipurpose facilities.

The proposed allocation gives each of the country’s 17 regions a uniform P180 million, totaling P3.06 billion. However, the budget document does not identify the specific locations of the proposed facilities, stating only that the funds are for the “Construction of Evacuation Centers.”

The proposed P180 million per region is the largest allocation for the program to date. Each region received a proposed P75 million in the 2026 NEP, while P150 million was earmarked for each region in 2024 and 2025.

In the 2024 proposed budget, the allocation was listed under “Structural Improvement of Public Buildings and Construction of Evacuation Centers.”

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday questioned the uniform allocation, raising concerns over the lack of details on where and how the projects would be implemented.

“That is not acceptable. There were no specifications or locations. Each of Regions 1 to 17 was simply given P180 million for a total of more than P3 billion,” Lacson said in a radio interview.

Lacson also warned that the funds could potentially be diverted to other purposes.

“It could become an election or campaign budget this early because 2027 will bring us closer to the 2028 elections,” he said.

The DPWH budget has come under heightened scrutiny since President Marcos exposed the flood control controversy during his 2025 State of the Nation Address.

Despite the scrutiny, the DPWH received the second-largest proposed allocation among government agencies for 2027, amounting to P644 billion.

The administration also proposed P107.4 billion for flood control projects, a year after such funding was absent from the national budget.

During a Palace briefing Tuesday, Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon declined to provide details on the proposed permanent evacuation centers, saying he had no update on the project.

Dizon also appeared uncertain about the DPWH’s role in constructing the facilities under the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, which calls for coordination between the DPWH and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

“Babalikan kita, hindi ko—wala akong update sa iyon doon sa evacuation centers na itatayo ng LGU, ng DPWH? Ano ba? I will find out. Sorry, ayokong sumagot ng hindi ko alam iyong sagot. So, aalamin ko,” Dizon told a journalist who asked about the project.

Signed into law on Dec. 6, 2024, the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act mandates the construction of permanent, fully equipped and disaster-resilient evacuation centers in every city and municipality nationwide. The facilities are intended to protect displaced families and minimize disruptions to classes in public schools.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, meanwhile, said discussions on the evacuation centers are ongoing at the NDRRMC.

“It’s being discussed now sa NDRRMC, kasi ayaw na nga natin na ginagamit iyong mga school. Patuloy ang diskusyon doon,” Gatchalian said during the same briefing.

He said the issue would be raised again when the council meets, noting the harmful effects of using schools as evacuation centers on students’ learning.

DAILY TRIBUNE has sought comments from several lawmakers and the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the proposed allocation but had yet to receive responses.