THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) proposed a budget allocation of P822.2 billion for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the proposed 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP) in order to accelerate the country’s socioeconomic development.
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman pointed out the urgency of building more public facilities, including roads and bridges, for the country to bounce back after its economic losses during the pandemic.
She said the DPWH is one of the key agencies President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is counting on to help achieve the administration’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda through job creation and reduced transport and logistics costs in the Build Better More Program.
“As highlighted by the President during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), infrastructure development is one of the key drivers of our continuing economic growth. As such, we will sustain this momentum through the Build Better More Program. This will prioritize physical connectivity infrastructure such as road networks and railway systems,” said Secretary Pangandaman.
The DPWH is tasked to accelerate infrastructure development, as well as sustain operations to ensure a safe, reliable national road system, and protect lives and properties against major floods.
Major Programs
Among major DPWH programs, flood management gets the biggest chunk in the budget at P215.643 billion for 965 projects involving the construction or rehabilitation of flood mitigation facilities in major river basins and principal rivers.
Next is the Convergence and Special Support Program with P174.089 billion, followed by Network Development with P148.112 billion, which will be spent to construct a total of 721.656 kilometers of new roads and widen or improve 647.288 kilometers of existing roads.
Asset Preservation gets P115.588 billion to be used for the implementation of preventive maintenance of 1,196.398 kilometers of roads and upgrade of 798.711 kilometers of damaged paved roads, while the Bridge Program gets P45.839 billion for the construction of 15,208.83 lineal meters of bridges and maintenance, retrofitting, repair, and rehabilitation, as well as the widening of 525 existing bridges.
Other appropriations
A separate budget of P13.968 billion is allocated to the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program, which will provide access roads leading to declared tourism destinations.
Moreover, an allocation of P10.020 billion will be for the Roads Leveraging Linkages for Industry and Trade Infrastructure Program; Tatag ng Imprastraktura para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) Program for military and police facilities, P3.8 billion; Special Road Fund for the construction, upgrading, repair, and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and road drainage, P15.232 billion.
Quick Response Fund
The Quick Response Fund (QRF), with a P1-billion budget, shall serve as a stand-by fund for the reconstruction and rehabilitation programs, activities, or projects, including pre-positioning of goods and equipment in order that the situation and living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by calamities, epidemics, crises, and catastrophes may be normalized as quickly as possible.
The proposed 2024 DPWH budget shall cover its operating requirements, including the implementation of both local and foreign-assisted programs, activities, and projects.
(PHOTO CREDIT: DBM Facebook page)