00:00Bicameral deliberations on the 2026 proposed budget hit a snag earlier today over an impasse on whether to restore the 9.6 billion budget slash of the DPWH over pork barrel concerns and overpricing issues in materials procurement.
00:17But House Bicam Representative Michaela Swan Singh is pretty upbeat. A compromise would be reached post-haste with the dreaded consequences of a re-enacted budget hanging over their heads, as our Luisa Erisbe reports.
00:34After hours of debates from yesterday's Bicameral Conference Committee meeting, Senator Sherwin Gachalian, chairperson of the Senate panel, said,
00:42At some point, the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways still ended in a deadlock between the two chambers.
00:50Due to this, today's supposed Bicam was deemed suspended on the part of the Senate.
00:55The issue they have yet to resolve is the appeal of DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to restore the budget cut for construction materials under the Senate version of the proposed 2026 national budget.
01:07This amounts to 45 billion pesos.
01:10According to Dizon, if not restored, some projects may not be implemented.
01:16The lower house supports the appeal of the DPWH, but the Senate said they remained firm that they will not support the overpricing of materials.
01:25We can call it deadlock on that aspect kasi ang Senado very firm na ayaw namin ng overpriced items.
01:34Postpone muna yung Bicam today para ma-resolve ba itong issue with the House and also with DPWH.
01:41The Senate also insisted the mistake is not on their part.
01:45The basis of the budget cut is the Construction Materials Price Data or CMPD submitted by the DPWH.
01:52Hindi kami nagkamali dahil naggaling sa kanila yung computation.
01:57Inapply lang ho namin.
01:59Kampante ka pe, na yung application namin ay naayon sa dokumento na ibinigay sa amin ng DPWH.
02:07But the Senate assured they will not let the Bicam meeting left pending.
02:11There are just some discussions to be made with DPWH Secretary Dizon to clarify which projects may not be implemented due to the budget cut.
02:20Pero naghahanap tayo ng solusyon.
02:23Ako, committed ako maghanap ng solusyon.
02:26Sabi ko nga, makikipagtrabaho ako with DPWH para makita natin kung ano yung solusyon dito.
02:33Kailangan ko maintindihan talaga kung ano ba yung kanilang sinasabi na hindi ma-implement yung project.
02:39The Senate clarified they also want the DPWH to continue the projects but not with overpriced construction materials.
02:47Pero ayaw rin natin hindi ma-implement yung projects.
02:51So, kaya ito kasi technical issue to eh.
02:54Kailangan DPWH talaga ang sumagot.
02:58Even with the suspension of the Bicam today,
03:01Gatchalian remained optimistic they are still on track
03:04and there will be no re-enactment of the 2025 budget.
03:08Of course, lumiliit but I'm optimistic kaya naman matapos.
03:11But yung, siyempre nakakain na ngayon namin yung mga buffer days, pero kaya naman.
03:17Meanwhile, aside from the budget of the DPWH,
03:21the Senate leadership also discussed the approved budget for the MAEFAPA under the Department of Health
03:26and the budget for the Farm to Market Roads Project under the Department of Agriculture.
03:32What they want is a budget allocation that will not be politicized and can be accessible to the people.
03:38Yung MAEF, sa akin, as long as hindi ito covered ng guarantee letter.
03:43Kasi pag may guarantee letter, it sabi nun, patronage, paddiction, at saka selective.
03:49Kung papasok namin dito sa universal healthcare program, walang problema.
03:53Ang plano dito sa MAEF, i-allow ito sa mga private hospitals.
03:57Para pwede mag-private hospital ang mga indigent patients.
04:02Lahat na may hirap, pwede mag-accommodate sa mga private hospitals.
04:05Habang tinatayo pa, ito kung gusto pa natin i-expand ang mga government hospitals nationwide.
04:12They also want to assure that there will not be any form of corruption in the budget.
04:18Luisa Erispe from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
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