Batangas 1st District Representative Legarda Leviste was one of the 12 members of the House who opposed the 2026 national budget, citing his belief that corruption within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) can be eradicated—if only lawmakers take action. His stand, though a minority voice in the House, centers on dismantling the entrenched corruption in the department and disproving the notion that it is impossible to remove.
“I believe that our distinguished colleagues here are good men, that many of us here want to end kickbacks in DPWH, but assume this is impossible,” Leviste remarked during his plenary speech. His comments were grounded in the testimonies of witnesses, who exposed the widespread corruption in the DPWH, including the rigging of almost all bids within the department. Despite this, Leviste made it clear that while others may resign themselves to the status quo, he refuses to accept this as the final word.
Leviste is not only aiming to expose the issue but to challenge his fellow lawmakers to prove that corruption can be addressed. “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing,” he declared, urging his peers to stop ignoring the systemic problems plaguing the department.
In his effort to spark reform, Leviste proposed a 30% reduction in the price of DPWH road projects within his district, which could potentially eliminate hundreds of billions in kickbacks. By slashing project costs, he aims to demonstrate that large-scale infrastructure projects can be delivered without inflated prices or corrupt dealings.
Leviste also pushed for a reallocation of the savings, proposing that the ₽508 million be used to fund the construction of over 200 classrooms—making the case that public funds should be used for critical services rather than siphoned off through corruption.
Furthermore, the lawmaker highlighted the inequitable distribution of the DPWH budget. While Region 4A (CALABARZON) accounts for 15% of the country’s population and GDP, it only receives 10% of the department’s total allocation. Leviste stressed the need to revise budget allocations to ensure that funds are distributed more equitably, benefiting regions that contribute more to the national economy.
Despite being one of the 12 lawmakers to vote against the budget, Leviste acknowledged the improvements made to the budget by the House Committee on Appropriations. However, he remains adamant that further efforts are needed to ensure that the national budget is free from the influence of corruption.
The national budget now moves to the Senate for final deliberations, but Leviste’s call to action will continue to resonate as a challenge to lawmakers to end the long-standing culture of corruption within the DPWH.
