Ex-DPWH official claims quarter of 2025 infrastructure budget earmarked for 'commitments'

MANILA—Former DPWH Regional Director Gerard Opulencia told prosecutors Thursday that a substantial portion of the infrastructure budget designated in the 2025 General Appropriations Act is reserved as advance commitments to specific project proponents.

According to Opulencia's testimony, the arrangement involves roughly one-quarter of allocated infrastructure funds. He identified senators among those receiving such commitments, though he did not specify which lawmakers were involved or provide details on the mechanism through which the funds were distributed.

Opulencia appeared as a prosecution witness, suggesting the allocation practice is the subject of a formal investigation. The testimony raises questions about budget execution procedures and whether designated funds are being distributed according to merit-based criteria or predetermined arrangements.

The 2025 GAA sets aside billions of pesos for infrastructure development across the country. If confirmed, the practice could represent a significant deviation from standard procurement and budgeting protocols that typically require competitive bidding and performance-based allocation of public funds.

The case is ongoing, and further details about the scope and beneficiaries of these commitments are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.

Photo: The Department of Public Works and Highways building in Port Area, Manila, January 2023. Zarate123 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).