The Department of Public Works and Highways is opening 2026 with a reset centered on fixing deteriorating roads, unsafe bridges, and flood control structures that repeatedly fail during the rainy season.
In the department’s first press briefing of the year, DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon anchored the 2026 direction on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s instruction following the signing of the national budget. Dizon said the renewed focus across government is clear:
“Ang bawat piso na pera ng mga kababayan natin, dapat magastos at magamit sa tama.”
He said the first priority under the 2026 budget is the nationwide repair and maintenance of damaged transport infrastructure. “Ang unang-unang magiging priority natin ngayong 2026, sa loob nitong bagong budget, ay ang pag-aayos ng mga sira-sirang kalye at mga tulay all over the country,” Dizon said, noting that this had been neglected for years.
Dizon singled out the Maharlika Highway as a central focus of the rehabilitation program, describing its condition as a daily hardship for millions of commuters.
“Ang Maharlika Highway, sira-sira all over the country,” he said. He announced that large-scale rehabilitation work will begin this year, stating, “Magkakaroon ng massive rehabilitation of the Maharlika Highway starting this year.”
He also cited ongoing rehabilitation work along EDSA, saying the department is moving faster than its original timeline. “Ahead of schedule tayo,” Dizon said, referring to the first phase of repairs. He added that rehabilitation of C5 is being prepared next, citing its heavy use by trucks and persistent deterioration.
A second major priority for 2026 is the completion of long-delayed infrastructure projects. Dizon said many roads and bridges have remained unfinished for years despite repeated funding. “Andaming bitin na kalsada at tulay na hindi lang taon, pero dekada na ang binibilang natin,” he said. “So ’yan ang magiging priority natin.”
Dizon cited specific examples of unfinished bridges and flyovers and committed to completing several projects within the year, stressing that public funds must result in usable infrastructure rather than stalled works.
He also issued a public call for citizens to report unfinished projects in their areas. “Please report them to us… I-report n’yo, at isasama namin ’yan sa listahan naming napakaraming proyekto na unfinished na tatapusin natin,” he said, urging the public to use the DPWH transparency portal, official social media pages, email, and hotline.
Flood control repairs were identified as the third major priority. Dizon said accountability alone is not enough if communities remain vulnerable to flooding.
“Kailangan naman ayusin natin ’yung mga flood control na butas-butas at sira-sira. We have to fix them this year bago dumating ang rainy season,” he said. “Hindi enough para sa mga kababayan natin ’yung may makulong, may managot, mabalik ang pera.”
Beyond physical repairs, Dizon said the department will overhaul its budget planning process to prevent poorly planned projects from entering the budget. “We will do away with all of that. Wala nang palakasan at singitan sa proyekto,” he said. “Lahat ng project kailangan may plano. Lahat ng project dapat endorsed ng mga development councils.”
Dizon said funding will be prioritized for the completion of ongoing projects, particularly given limited resources. He framed the 2026 program as a test of discipline and reform. “Kahit na bumaba ang budget ng DPWH, mas marami tayong magagawa. Mas marami tayong maaayos,” he said, adding that faster delivery, lower costs, and better quality are possible when public funds are protected.
He closed by urging the public to continue reporting damaged and unfinished projects, saying the goal for 2026 is to finally ensure that infrastructure spending translates into safer roads, reliable bridges, and effective flood control for communities nationwide.
