The Senate postponed the third day of bicameral conference committee deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget due to a deadlock over the allocation for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), according to Senate Finance Committee chairperson Sherwin Gatchalian. Gatchalian said the decision was reached after a Senate caucus, emphasizing that the upper chamber remains firm in opposing the use of overpriced construction materials in government infrastructure projects for 2026. The Senate earlier reduced the DPWH's proposed 2026 budget to P570.48 billion from the House-approved P624.48 billion. Gatchalian explained that the cut was based on the Construction Materials Price Data submitted by the DPWH itself, which resulted in estimated reductions of about P45 billion due to adjusted pricing. However, the DPWH has raised concerns about the application of an adjustment factor, arguing that it may not be suitable for all infrastructure projects given varying conditions nationwide. Despite describing the situation as a deadlock, Gatchalian said the Senate remains open to dialogue and committed to finding a workable solution.
