Photo Release

'Mangled’ DPWH Budget: Sen. Panfilo Lacson asks Public Works Secretary Mark Villar to explain why their submitted budget proposal showed a mangling of the total appropriations of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) during the virtual hearing of Finance Subcommittee A, Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Lacson said compared to the one presented by Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado during the discussion on the general principles of the budget, he noted an increase in the allocation for local projects and a decrease in the national projects under the Build, Build, Build program. “It appears that when DPWH belatedly submitted their National Expenditure Program last September 7, what we see is a mangling of the entire appropriations of the agency in the total amount of P666,474,289,000 which is beyond recognition... My question is, and I just like a forthright answer, did your late submission involve intervention from some legislators or was it entirely their own doing?” Lacson asked. (Screen grab/ Senate PRIB)